§ Mr. RedwoodTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement of her policy on a ban on tests and experiments on live animals in the United Kingdom. [17757]
§ Mr. MeacherIn line with Government policy on experiments on live animals, the policy of my Department is to seek a reduction in such experimentation wherever possible, consistent with the protection of human health and the environment. We take the view that, while a complete ban is not yet achievable, much more can and should be done to reduce the numbers of animals used in determining the environmental fate and effects of chemicals.
We have made it clear to the Commission of the European Communities and to other member states that a key objective of the EU Review of Chemicals legislation must be to keep the need for animal experimentation to an absolute minimum. This should include:
681W
- requiring companies to share information about chemicals
- prioritising chemicals for testing
- finding and validating test methods which do not require the use of animals.