§ Mr. LepperTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the use of animals in testing household products. [106992]
§ Mr. Mike O'BrienThe Government have a responsibility for public and environmental safety. Some regulatory safety evaluations require the use of protected animals where there are no viable alternatives. A number of the substances in current use pose risks either through 427W normal use or, in the case of solvents and glues, for example, through misuse. European directives have a bearing on the requirements to test both new and existing substances and products for manufacture, transport, sale and use. This includes household products for which a regulatory requirement applies.
The need for testing household products on animals is to be considered by the Animal Procedures Committee as part of its planned work on the cost/benefit assessment carried out under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986.
1,477 scientific procedures and 1,448 animals were used for this purpose in Great Britain during 1998, the last year for which figures are available. In 1997, comparable figures were 2,026 procedures and 2,004 animals. As with any other scientific procedure under the 1986 Act, animals are used to test household products only where necessary and where there are no alternatives.