HC Deb 25 June 1998 vol 314 cc588-9W
Mr. Hancock

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many project licence applications have been rejected under section 5(4) of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 in the last five years. [47317]

Mr. George Howarth

I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave him on 16 July 1997,Official Report, column 173 and the reply I gave the hon. Member for Lewes (Mr. Baker) on 24 February 1998, Official Report, column 178.

Records that distinguish between a licence which was refused and one which was "not proceeded with" by the applicant are not kept centrally.

Mr. McDonnell

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what involvement his Department had in the decision to allow Imutran to export two transgenic pigs to the Netherlands for use in an organ transplant experiment; for what reasons it was considered appropriate for this experiment to be carried out abroad rather than in the UK; and if Imutran had sought permission to conduct this experiment in the United Kingdom. [47307]

Mr. George Howarth

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave the hon. Member for Lewes (Mr. Baker) on 14 May 1998,Official Report, columns 166–67.

The purpose of exporting these animals was, we understand, to facilitate an international research programme on xenotransplantation. Part of this programme is carried out in the United Kingdom. Collaboration of this sort is preferable to groups in different countries carrying out independent research programmes and any replication of work this might entail.

Dr. Starkey

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applicants for licences under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 are currently waiting to be informed of a decision by his Department. [47007]

Mr. George Howarth

The number of applicants for new certificates of designation, project licences and personal licences who are awaiting a decision are two, 258 and 211 respectively. In addition to new applications, there are 1,307 applications for amendments to existing licences awaiting a final decision.

These figures include cases where we are waiting for further information from the applicant or a revised application, and cases where the applicant is currently in discussion with the Inspectorate about how the draft application could be refined to minimise the amount of suffering and the number of animals used and to maximise the benefit that might accrue from the work. It is not possible to disaggregate these from the total.

Dr. Starkey

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many and what grades of staff have been involved in processing applications for personal and project licences under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 in each of the past three years. [47006]

Mr. George Howarth

The number of staff is given in the table.

Year Inspectors Executive grades Administrative grades
1996 15 0.47 12.85
1997 16 0.47 12.85
1998 16.5 0.47 13.85

Inspectors spend, on average, approximately 40 per cent. of their time assessing licence applications and amendments. The remainder is spent on visits of inspection and in providing specialist advice.

Additional funding has been secured to increase the complement of the Inspectorate from 18 to 21. Three new inspectors are scheduled to join the Inspectorate in the next two months.

Executive staff (Executive Officer to Grade 7) and administrative staff (Administration Assistant, Administrative Officer and equivalents) are shown as full-time equivalents. Additional funding has allowed the administrative staffing levels to be increased in 1998–99 through extra conditioned hours and overtime.

Dr. Starkey

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the average time taken between receipt of an application for a licence under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 and informing the applicant of the decision. [47008]

Mr. George Howarth

Averages could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Apart from a couple of exceptional cases, we have dealt with all new personal licence applications received before March 1998.

The time taken for project licence applications varies greatly depending on a number of factors, including the quality of the initial application; the complexity or originality of the proposed work; and whether it is necessary to consult a specialist inspector, an external assessor or the Animal procedures Committee.