§ Norman BakerTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what consideration was given, and by whom, to the ethical aspect of allowing dogs to be used for the testing of the effects of HCFCs at the Huntingdon Life Sciences Laboratory before a licence was granted for this procedure. [159795]
§ Caroline Flint[holding answer 8 March 2004]Dogs are among the species specially protected by the Animals Scientific Procedures Act 1986, in that they can only be used in scientific studies when no other species are suitable or available. Their use in the study in question was to collect safety data about a chemical compound still in use.
Initial consideration of the choice of species for the study, taking account of ethical and scientific considerations, was undertaken by those concerned at the establishment when preparing their application for the necessary project licence authorities under the 1986 Act. The special case for using doge had to be made out at that stage.
The Animals (Scientific Procedures) Inspectorate provided a professional assessment of the application, and was satisfied that the use of dogs was justified and that there was no acceptable alternative. The Inspectorate was also satisfied that the other statutory criteria for granting the requested authorities had been met. In particular, the testing was for a permissible purpose, its likely benefit was deemed to outweigh the expected animal welfare costs, and the animal suffering was to be minimised consistent with achieving the scientific purpose.
Home Office officials acting on behalf of the Secretary of State considered and accepted the Inspectorate's recommendation that the licence authorities should be granted.