Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what training is provided on the use of non-animal methods to inspectors in the Animals in Science Regulation Unit who are responsible for assessing project licence applications.

All Home Office Inspectors are specifically trained to assess licence applications rigorously and robustly and thereby assure compliance with the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 (ASPA). The National Centre for the 3Rs (NC3Rs) are providing training for all Inspectors which includes accessing 3Rs knowledge. Inspectors are also signposted to further resources, including Replacing Animal Research’s “Replacement Checklist”.

The responsibility of ensuring the principles of the 3Rs (replacement, reduction and refinement) have been fully applied in applications belongs to the applicant. The role of the Home Office is to assure that the applicant has conducted the necessary activity to maximally apply each of the 3Rs.

Establishments which test on animals must establish an Animal Welfare and Ethical Review Body (AWERB). AWERBs have a statutory responsibility under ASPA to advise on the application of the 3Rs within establishments. Home Office guidance stipulates that all applications for a new project licence must be evaluated by the local AWERB.

The Government is committed to non-animal alternatives in science and has published a strategy which sets out our long-term vision for a world where the use of animals in science is eliminated in all but exceptional circumstances. The strategy is available at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/replacing-animals-in-science-strategy/replacing-animals-in-science-a-strategy-to-support-the-development-validation-and-uptake-of-alternative-methods