Asked by: Lisa Cameron (Conservative - East Kilbride, Strathaven and Lesmahagow)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to her Department's Animals in Science Regulation Unit Annual reports 2019 to 2021, published 26 October 2022, what assessment she has made of the incident in which four dogs were administered a substance that was not authorised for testing; and whether a letter of reprimand and inspector advice was an adequate response to that breach.
Answered by Tom Tugendhat - Minister of State (Home Office) (Security)
The Home Office take any allegations regarding non-compliance with the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 very seriously.
The investigation and measures taken for the case involving four dogs were in accordance with the agreed Regulator’s Compliance Policy that is aimed to minimise the risk of recurrence. The Compliance Policy can be found on gov.uk. The Home Office will continue to assess the proportionality of responses to non-compliances with the Act.
Asked by: Rupa Huq (Labour - Ealing Central and Acton)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the Animals in Science Regulation Unit annual reports 2019 to 2021, published on 26 October 2022, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of (a) investigating that report's findings on animal welfare in laboratories and (b) taking steps to support scientists in the development of new approach methodologies to help reduce animal testing.
Answered by Tom Tugendhat - Minister of State (Home Office) (Security)
The Regulator has strengthened its regulatory oversight and published its process establishment audits at: www.gov.uk/guidance/animal-research-technical-advice#process-and-standards-for-establishment-full-system-audits. The audit process includes an animal welfare assessment.
Government policy is to actively support and fund the development and dissemination of techniques that Replace, Reduce and Refine the use of animals in research (the 3Rs). This is achieved through funding UK Research and Investment who fund the National Centre for the 3Rs and fund further research through Innovate UK, the Medical Research Council and the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council into the development of alternatives.
The Regulator has a responsibility to assess all project licence applications for the full application of the principles of the 3Rs and all licence holders have a standard condition in their licences that requires them to deliver the 3Rs. In addition, all establishments have an Animal Welfare and Ethical Review body that has a responsibility to advise the Establishment Licence Holder and Project Licence Holders on the 3Rs.
Asked by: Andrew Gwynne (Labour - Denton and Reddish)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the Animals in Science Regulation Unit annual reports 2019 to 2021, published on 26 October, what steps her Department is taking to reduce the incidence of non-compliance with the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 in laboratories.
Answered by Tom Tugendhat - Minister of State (Home Office) (Security)
Establishments conducting research are regularly inspected, with both announced and unannounced inspections carried out by inspectors to ensure compliance with their licences and the legislation.
The regulator’s compliance policy explains how it identifies and investigates potential incidents of non-compliance and decides on appropriate and proportionate measures aimed to minimise the risk of recurrence. It is available at: www.gov.uk/guidance/animal-testing-and-research-compliance-with-aspa.
Asked by: Christian Wakeford (Labour - Bury South)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the Animals in Science Regulation Unit Annual reports 2019 to 2021, published on 26 October 2022, for what reasons incidents of non-compliance with the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986, for which the remedy was not solely inspector advice, increased between 2018 and 2021.
Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)
The 2018 Animal in Science Regulation Unit (ASRU) annual report explains that several non-compliance cases were detected in 2018, but investigations were not completed until 2019. Available at (p26): www.gov.uk/government/publications/animals-in-science-regulation-unit-annual-report-2018. These completed investigations were then reported in the 2019 ASRU annual report.
The Animals in Science Regulation Unit (ASRU) has published its compliance framework which identifies and investigates potential incidents of non-compliance and decides on appropriate and proportionate measures to minimise the risk of recurrence. Available at: www.gov.uk/guidance/animal-testing-and-research-compliance-with-aspa.
Asked by: Martyn Day (Scottish National Party - Linlithgow and East Falkirk)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of the number of inspectors employed within the Home Office’s Animals in Science Regulation Unit.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
The Regulator’s capacity and capability for service delivery and compliance assurance purposes is aligned with the requirements defined in the legislation. This includes in-person announced and unannounced visits to licensed establishments. The Regulator has strengthened its regulatory oversight and published its process of full system audits at: www.gov.uk/guidance/animal-research-technical-advice#process-and-standards-for-establishment-full-system-audits. The Regulator is presently recruiting further Inspectors to enhance capacity.
Asked by: Michael Fabricant (Conservative - Lichfield)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of launching an urgent inquiry into the death of animals in establishments licensed under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 as a result of failure to provide adequate food or water, as set out in the Animals in Science Regulation Unit’s annual reports for 2019-2021.
Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Government continues to be committed to assuring that animals used in science are protected by the legal framework.
The Animals in Science Regulation Unit (ASRU) has published its compliance framework which identifies and investigates potential incidents of non-compliance and decides on appropriate and proportionate measures and remedies to minimise the risk of recurrence.
All cases of non-compliance during 2019 to 2021 have been thoroughly investigated and the outcomes have been published in ASRU’s annual report.
Asked by: Henry Smith (Conservative - Crawley)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the Animals in Science Regulation Unit annual reports 2019 to 2021, published in October 2022, what assessment she has made of that report's finding that over 95 per cent of non-compliance incidents were self-reported from 2019 to 2021; and whether she has made a recent assessment of the potential merits of increasing the number of unannounced inspections of establishments licensed under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986.
Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Regulator has strengthened its regulatory oversight and published its process of full system audits at: www.gov.uk/guidance/animal-research-technical-advice#process-and-standards-for-establishment-full-system-audits. The Regulator’s audit programme for compliance assurance purposes is delivered in accordance with the requirements defined in the legislation. This includes in-person announced and unannounced visits to licensed establishments.
Self-reporting of non-compliance, in regulatory frameworks, is generally indicative of a willingness towards compliance. The Regulator encourages self-reporting as part of a good governance framework and a culture of compliance.
Asked by: Feryal Clark (Labour - Enfield North)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she has made a recent assessment of the potential merits of reviewing the effectiveness of the Animals in Science Regulation Unit; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by Damian Hinds - Minister of State (Education)
The use of animals in science is highly regulated, including a three-tier system of licensing, the monitoring of compliance of licence holders, and on-site inspections.
All licensed establishments are required to have a dedicated governance framework comprising of individuals that includes veterinary surgeons with legal responsibilities for the care and welfare of animals. Ethical review bodies embedded in each establishment review proposals for the use of animals and promote the 3Rs of animal use (replacement, reduction, refinement).
The Animals in Science Regulation Unit continues to ensure compliance with the legal requirements of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986. As part of continuous improvement, a regulatory reform programme is underway to modernise the regulator and strengthen its regulatory oversight.
Asked by: Feryal Clark (Labour - Enfield North)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the enforcement of regulations by the Animals in Science Regulation Unit.
Answered by Damian Hinds - Minister of State (Education)
The use of animals in science is highly regulated, including a three-tier system of licensing, the monitoring of compliance of licence holders, and on-site inspections.
All licensed establishments are required to have a dedicated governance framework comprising of individuals that includes veterinary surgeons with legal responsibilities for the care and welfare of animals. Ethical review bodies embedded in each establishment review proposals for the use of animals and promote the 3Rs of animal use (replacement, reduction, refinement).
The Animals in Science Regulation Unit continues to ensure compliance with the legal requirements of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986. As part of continuous improvement, a regulatory reform programme is underway to modernise the regulator and strengthen its regulatory oversight.
Asked by: Drew Hendry (Scottish National Party - Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment her Department has made of the impact of reducing in-person assessments by the Animals in Science Regulation Unit on compliance with regulations.
Answered by Kevin Foster
The Animals in Science Regulation Unit has recently strengthened its regulatory oversight processes to better deliver protections to animals used in science. This has included the process of in-person assessments. The Regulator has published its process for rigorous full system audits at: www.gov.uk/guidance/animal-research-technical-advice#process-and-standards-for-establishment-full-system-audits. At audit the Regulator requires evidence for assessment of compliance against all legal licence conditions, including those for animal welfare, which are available at: www.gov.uk/guidance/animal-research-technical-advice#process-and-standards-for-establishment-full-system-audits. The frequency of the audits meets the requirements specified in law.