§ Fiona MactaggartTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what arrangements are in place for monitoring the impact of the inter-departmental concordat on data sharing on the duplication by Government Departments on tests on animals; and if he will make a statement on the impact of the concordat. [48693]
§ Angela EagleIn August 2000, we announced the inter-departmental concordat on data sharing to enable Government Departments to reduce the duplication of tests on animals. The concordat commits United Kingdom regulatory authorities to help resolve legal and other obstacles and encourage data sharing between clients and thereby reduce animal tests.
My officials are in contact with the parties to the concordat to review progress. They have been asked how they have put the concordat to use in encouraging companies to share data in the field of regulatory toxicology. We have requested information on ways in which the concordat has achieved its aims within each organisation and are equally keen to hear of any problems there may have been in implementing these aims, or which have slowed progress down, together with suggestions of how these could be overcome.
The full impact of the concordat will be determined once the review is complete.