§ 31. Sir David Priceasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if, in deciding the level of funding of research councils, he will take into account the extent 302W to which they have found alternatives to the use of live animals in biological, medical, veterinary and environmental research.
§ Mr. William SheltonThe research councils are anxious like myself, to see reductions in the numbers of experiments involving animals. Where experiments can be transferred to inanimate systems with the likelihood of equal success, these alternative methods are quickly taken up by research workers, not least on humanitarian grounds. The use of animals is also very expensive. However, much of the research involving the use of animals has greatly furthered our knowledge of physiological and other processes and this has been of marked benefit not only to the treatment and care of humans but has also profited animals as well. It would, however, be inappropriate to regard the extent to which the research councils have found it possible to use alternatives to living animals as a factor to be considered in deciding the amount of their grants-in-aid.