Animal Experiments (Hansard, 1 February 2000)

§ Dr. Tonge
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many individuals hold a Home Office licence to experiment on animals. [107459]

§ Mr. Mike O'Brien
The most recent figures available are for December 1999. There were 14,777 live personal licences, issued under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986, in Great Britain.

§ Dr. Tonge
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many institutions hold a licence to experiment on animals which covers students who may not be required individually to hold a licence while performing their studies. [107460]

§ Mr. Mike O'Brien
Under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986, the Certificate of Designation for an institution does not license individuals. Anyone performing a regulated procedure on a live animal must hold a personal licence in accordance with the 1986 Act. The procedure must be applied as part of a programme of work specified in a project licence which authorises the application of that procedure.
Currently, there are 60 project licences for the use of animals in education and training, held mostly by university employees. In each case, a licence has been granted for an educational objective which cannot be realistically taught by alternative methods. Some procedures are demonstrated by the tutor rather than conducted by the students themselves.