Asked by: Baroness Hayman of Ullock (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government, following the publication of the Animals in Science Regulation Unit's Annual Report 2022 on 25 April, what assessment they have made of the adequacy of sanctions such as inspector advice and compliance letters in response to animal welfare failings, including animals dying because of a lack of food or water.
Answered by Lord Sharpe of Epsom - Shadow Minister (Business and Trade)
The Home Office takes non-compliance with the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 very seriously. The Animals in Science Regulation Unit responds to and applies sanctions in cases of non-compliance in accordance with its compliance policy, which aims to reduce the risk of future non-compliance. More rigorous sanctions are used in cases where animal welfare is impacted or there are significant systems failures.
The Animals in Science Regulation Unit will continue to assess the proportionality of its responses to cases of non-compliance.
Asked by: Baroness Hayman of Ullock (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many unlicensed metal recyclers have been prosecuted in the past (1) three years, (2) five years, and (3) 10 years; and what steps they are taking to increase the number of prosecutions.
Answered by Lord Sharpe of Epsom - Shadow Minister (Business and Trade)
We absolutely recognise the distress and disruption metal theft can cause, not only to businesses, but also local communities.
The latest published statistics for the year ending March 2023 showed the number of metal theft offences recorded by the police in England and Wales was down by 54% compared with the year ending March 2013.
The Government supported the introduction of the Scrap Metal Dealers Act 2013 to reverse an upward trend in the level of metal theft through better regulation of the metal recycling sector, making it more difficult to dispose of stolen metal. The 2013 Act requires anyone carrying on business as a scrap metal dealer to be licensed by their local authority. The Act also provides police and licensing authority officers with a power to issue a closure notice if they are satisfied the premises are not licensed but are being used by a scrap metal dealer in the course of business; and to subsequently apply to the magistrates’ court for a closure order.
The Home Office continues to work closely with the National Police Chief Councils (NPCC) through the NPCC Metal Crime Steering Group, which brings together partner agencies to ensure a robust response to metal theft.
The Home Office also provided funding in the financial year 2020-21 to establish the National Infrastructure Crime Reduction Partnership. The Partnership ensures the national co-ordination of policing and law enforcement partners to tackle metal theft. Membership of the Partnership includes infrastructure companies such as rail, telecoms and utility companies, who work together to monitor trends in metal theft, share intelligence, target offenders and implement crime prevention measures. The Partnership has provided training for over 2000 police officers and other agencies in the responsibilities under the Act and how to enforce it.
Ministry of Justice publishes statistics on the ‘Criminal Justice System’ for England and Wales every quarter. This includes ‘summary offences under Scrap Metal Dealers Act’; The statistics can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/criminal-justice-system-statistics-quarterly-june-2023.
Asked by: Baroness Hayman of Ullock (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government who holds responsibility for tackling unlicensed metal recyclers between the different police services and local authorities.
Answered by Lord Sharpe of Epsom - Shadow Minister (Business and Trade)
We absolutely recognise the distress and disruption metal theft can cause, not only to businesses, but also local communities.
The latest published statistics for the year ending March 2023 showed the number of metal theft offences recorded by the police in England and Wales was down by 54% compared with the year ending March 2013.
The Government supported the introduction of the Scrap Metal Dealers Act 2013 to reverse an upward trend in the level of metal theft through better regulation of the metal recycling sector, making it more difficult to dispose of stolen metal. The 2013 Act requires anyone carrying on business as a scrap metal dealer to be licensed by their local authority. The Act also provides police and licensing authority officers with a power to issue a closure notice if they are satisfied the premises are not licensed but are being used by a scrap metal dealer in the course of business; and to subsequently apply to the magistrates’ court for a closure order.
The Home Office continues to work closely with the National Police Chief Councils (NPCC) through the NPCC Metal Crime Steering Group, which brings together partner agencies to ensure a robust response to metal theft.
The Home Office also provided funding in the financial year 2020-21 to establish the National Infrastructure Crime Reduction Partnership. The Partnership ensures the national co-ordination of policing and law enforcement partners to tackle metal theft. Membership of the Partnership includes infrastructure companies such as rail, telecoms and utility companies, who work together to monitor trends in metal theft, share intelligence, target offenders and implement crime prevention measures. The Partnership has provided training for over 2000 police officers and other agencies in the responsibilities under the Act and how to enforce it.
Ministry of Justice publishes statistics on the ‘Criminal Justice System’ for England and Wales every quarter. This includes ‘summary offences under Scrap Metal Dealers Act’; The statistics can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/criminal-justice-system-statistics-quarterly-june-2023.
Asked by: Baroness Hayman of Ullock (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to introduce a public database containing non-technical summaries of research projects involving testing on animals.
Answered by Lord Sharpe of Epsom - Shadow Minister (Business and Trade)
Guidance on completing the non-technical summary, in accordance with the legislation, is published at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/animal-research-technical-advice#guidance-notes-for-project-licence-applications. The non-technical summaries provided by project licence applicants are assessed by Inspectors in the Animals in Science Regulation Unit (ASRU) against the published guidance before issuing a granted licence.
ASRU has no plans to introduce a non-technical summaries database. All non-technical summaries are made available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/animals-in-science-regulation-unit#non-technical-summaries. The Home Office seeks to continually improve their standard and publication accessibility through stakeholder engagement.
Asked by: Baroness Hayman of Ullock (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the adequacy of non-technical summaries of research projects involving animal testing.
Answered by Lord Sharpe of Epsom - Shadow Minister (Business and Trade)
Guidance on completing the non-technical summary, in accordance with the legislation, is published at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/animal-research-technical-advice#guidance-notes-for-project-licence-applications. The non-technical summaries provided by project licence applicants are assessed by Inspectors in the Animals in Science Regulation Unit (ASRU) against the published guidance before issuing a granted licence.
ASRU has no plans to introduce a non-technical summaries database. All non-technical summaries are made available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/animals-in-science-regulation-unit#non-technical-summaries. The Home Office seeks to continually improve their standard and publication accessibility through stakeholder engagement.
Asked by: Baroness Hayman of Ullock (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what information her Department holds on whether animals housed at the Laboratory of Pharmacology and Toxicology in Germany have been exported from the UK.
Answered by Kit Malthouse
The delivery of the animals in science regulatory framework provides oversight, rigour and scrutiny. The HO publishes guidance and a code of practice on the housing and care that explain how the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 (ASPA) is administered and enforced.
Animals in Science Regulation Unit (ASRU) inspection programme is a cornerstone for the protection of animals used for experimental or other scientific procedures. Home Office Inspectors undertake visits, within a risk-based framework, to all establishments licensed to breed or supply animals, or to carry out regulated procedures on animals under the ASPA in Great Britain, to inspect the welfare, health and environment of the animals at the facility. All inspectors are veterinary or medical professionals.
The Home Office does not sponsor research relating to animals used in science.
The Home Office does not hold information requested with regards to exported animals.
Asked by: Baroness Hayman of Ullock (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the implications for her Department's policies of the findings of the Cruelty Free International and SOKO Tierschutz investigation of contract animal testing facility the Laboratory of Pharmacology and Toxicology in Germany.
Answered by Kit Malthouse
The delivery of the animals in science regulatory framework provides oversight, rigour and scrutiny. The HO publishes guidance and a code of practice on the housing and care that explain how the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 (ASPA) is administered and enforced.
Animals in Science Regulation Unit (ASRU) inspection programme is a cornerstone for the protection of animals used for experimental or other scientific procedures. Home Office Inspectors undertake visits, within a risk-based framework, to all establishments licensed to breed or supply animals, or to carry out regulated procedures on animals under the ASPA in Great Britain, to inspect the welfare, health and environment of the animals at the facility. All inspectors are veterinary or medical professionals.
The Home Office does not sponsor research relating to animals used in science.
The Home Office does not hold information requested with regards to exported animals.