§ Mr. BakerTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what proportion of non-human primates used in research in the UK in each of the last five years were(a) wild-caught, (b) captive-bred outside the UK and (c) captive-bred in the UK; and if he will make a statement; [145373]
(2) how many of the project licences granted for the use of non-human primates in each of the last five years were in severity bandings (a) mild, (b) moderate, (c) substantial and (d) unclassified; and if he will make a statement; [145379]
(3) if he will list those establishments that have been approved as sources of non-human primates under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986; and if he will make a statement; [145375]
(4) what progress has been made in discussions with other member states in establishing a target date after which the use of wild-caught primates in European research laboratories will be prohibited; and if he will make a statement; [145374]
(5) what percentage of non-human primates used in research in the United Kingdom are singly-housed; and if he will make a statement. [145378]
§ Mr. Mike O'BrienThe Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 requires that non-human primates can be used only if no other species is suitable. In addition to regulatory testing to help ensure the safety of medicines, non-human primates are also used for other important areas of fundamental research. For example, they contribute to programmes of work relating to Parkinson's disease, visual impairment, stroke, diabetes, disorders of reproduction and vaccine development.
The number of procedures using non-human primate species over the last five years for which figures are available, by source of animals was as follows:
Animals obtained from: Year Within the United Kingdom Outside the United Kingdom Total 1995 3,565 1,156 4,721 1996 3,633 741 4,374 1997 3,547 361 3,908 1998 3,260 395 3,655 1999 3,585 418 4,003 All the animals obtained from within the United Kingdom will have been bred in captivity. For the imported animals, the annual statistics do not distinguish captive-bred animals from those which were obtained from the wild. However, it is unlikely that any wild-caught animals apart from baboons have been acquired from overseas in the last five years. Eighty wild-caught baboons were used in 1995, 28 in 1996, 17 in 1997, four in 1998 and none subsequently.
Home Office officials advocate the current United Kingdom policy on the use of wild-caught primates with other member states of the European Union at Commission-hosted meetings of the National Competent Authorities.
203WSection 24 of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 prohibits me from naming the establishments licensed under the Act to supply or breed non-human primates within Great Britain. Animals obtained from overseas are currently imported from Mauritius, Israel, Philippines and China. It is not Home Office policy to name the source companies from within these countries.
Information on the percentage of primates housed singly is not available. However, housing is generally in pairs or groups unless there are scientific, veterinary or welfare reasons for single housing.
Information regarding the number of project licences in each severity banding for each of the last five years is not kept in such a way as to make it readily or easily available. I will write to the hon. Member when officials have been able to collate at least some of this information.