§ Mr. WillisTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills under what circumstances animals are killed specifically for use in school science lessons. [67627]
§ Mr. Stephen Twigg[holding answer 8 July 2002]Animals are principally used for whole mammal dissection purposes and may be used in nerve/muscle physiology demonstrations.
Teachers also buy organs from butchers, for example livers from animals eaten by humans, for science lessons. There is no requirement in the national curriculum for dissection to be carried out, although individual teachers may choose to use dissection to illustrate various aspects of the science curriculum. In the Key Stage 3 schemes of work which have been published recently by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority, organ dissection is suggested as one of a range of possible teaching activities in some contexts.
Where dissection is used, teachers must always take account of potential threats to the well-being of pupils, particularly in relation to health and safety, religious or ethnic background and individual sensitivities.