Asked by: Henry Smith (Conservative - Crawley)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to World Animal Free Research Day on 27 May 2022, if she will take steps to recognise the role played by domestic organisations, such as Animal Free Research UK, in developing innovative alternatives to animal experiments; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by Damian Hinds
The Government continues to engage with organisations that promote alternatives to the use of animals and to actively support and fund the development and dissemination of the 3Rs (replacement, reduction, and refinement).
This is achieved through funding UK Research and Innovation who both fund the National Centre for the 3Rs and research through Innovate UK, the Medical Research Council, and the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council into the development of alternatives.
Asked by: Henry Smith (Conservative - Crawley)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, following the publication of her Department's report, Supporting male victims of crimes considered violence against women and girls, on 5 May 2022, what plans she has to support male victims of crimes considered violence against men and boys.
Answered by Baroness Maclean of Redditch
This Government is absolutely committed to supporting all victims of crimes, such as rape, domestic abuse, stalking and so called ‘honour’-based abuse . These crimes have absolutely no place in our society, and we are determined to work with the police and other key partners to confront them wherever they appear.
Both the Tackling Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy and the Tackling Domestic Abuse Plan are clear that they apply to all victims of these crimes, and male victims will benefit from the support and provisions that they contain.
However, we recognise that there are some specific challenges that men and boys may face. Therefore, in 2019 we published the first ever statement focused on male victims of these crimes. In March, we published a refreshed policy paper “Supporting male victims”, an informational resource on the male victims’ landscape, including the specific challenges male victims face; an outline to the support services outlook; and a guide to developing best practice.
In addition, the Government funds a range of organisations that provide specialist support to male victims – this includes, from 2019-2022, £168,000 a year for the Men’s Advice Line, a national helpline for male victims of domestic abuse, run by the charity Respect.
Asked by: Henry Smith (Conservative - Crawley)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many inspectors were in post in the Animals in Science Regulation Unit as at 25 February 2022; and how that figure compares to the inspectors in post in (a) 2019, (b) 2020 and (c) 2021.
Answered by Kit Malthouse
The number of inspectors in post within the Animals in Science Regulation Unit is as follows. On 25 February 2022 the number of Inspectors in post was 19 individuals. At the end of 2019, 2020 and 2021, the number of Inspectors in post was 24, 25 and 20 individuals, respectively.
Asked by: Henry Smith (Conservative - Crawley)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the Animals in Science Committee's report entitled Review of the harm benefit analysis in the use of animals in research, what steps her Department has taken to implement the 17 recommendations pertaining to the regulatory framework around the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986.
Answered by Damian Hinds
The Home Office responded to the Animals in Science Committee’s (ASC) report on a review of harm-benefit analysis in the use of animals in research on 21 May 2020.
The Home Office accepted the 17 recommendations pertaining to the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 and indicated how it intended to implement the recommendations.
The Home Office has regularly updated the ASC and stakeholders on progress, and wider issues, at scheduled meetings. In particular, the Home Office has updated ASC and stakeholders on reforms to the regulatory delivery model, including the approach to audit, and updates to the e-licensing system. Further information is available at: www.gov.uk/guidance/research-and-testing-using-animals.