§ Norman BakerTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department for what reason no data is collected in respect of(a) deaths occurring prior to birth during the production of genetically modified animals and (b) the stage of foetal development at which failures occur. [8002]
922W
§ Angela EagleThe production of genetically modified animals (as well as their use in experiments or other scientific procedures) is controlled under the terms of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986. The production and use of such animals allows new areas of medical and other scientific research to be explored; provides the potential for investigating a wide variety of conditions including cancer, cystic fibrosis and multiple sclerosis; and allows the quality of the science in many areas of research and testing to be improved.
Table 3 of the Statistics of Scientific Procedures on Living Animals Great Britain 2000 (Cm 5244) provides comprehensive data on scientific procedures by species of animal, primary purpose (including breeding) and genetic status. Paragraph 12 of the Introductory Notes to the statistics explains that details of procedures on animals in foetal, larval or embryonic form are collected but not enumerated because it may be impracticable in some cases to count such procedures.
Foetal deaths in the species that are commonly genetically modified are difficult or impossible to enumerate as a result of resorption of the foetal material and there may be no outward sign that this has happened. It may never have been established that the animal was pregnant, it will not have been known how many embryos were conceived, nor how many reached halfway through gestation. It would not therefore be feasible to collect the information in question. Embryonic forms do not become protected animals under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 until they are beyond halfway through gestation.