§ Mr. BeithTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to carry out a review of the legislation and procedures governing the use of animals in laboratories; whether he will list the changes made in respect of animal experiments since 1979; and if he will make a statement of Government policy on this matter.
§ Mr. Charles WardleThe Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 represented a major reform in the law regulating the use of laboratory animals. The Government are committed to the underlying principle of the legislation, which is to prevent all avoidable animal suffering and unnecessary animal use, while recognising the legitimate needs of science.
The Animal Procedures Committee, established under the 1986 Act, is required to monitor the working of the legislation and advise my right hon. and learned Friend on ways of improving its operation. It is the practice for the committee's annual report, which is laid before Parliament, to describe any significant changes that have occurred in these arrangements. The annual reports also describe the results of the committee's deliberations on particular areas of research or concern.