Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what progress officials in UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) has made on developing target areas of research for alternative methods for animal testing; and whether UKRI has any plans to consult with civil society organisations who have expertise in this area as part of this process.

On 11 November 2025 the Government published Replacing animals in science: A strategy to support the development, validation and uptake of alternative methods, which outlines the steps we will take to achieve this. The Labour Manifesto commits to partnering with scientists, industry and civil society as we work towards the phasing out of animal testing. The Government consulted civil society, industry and academia during development of the strategy and continues to do so during delivery, including through regular Home Office meetings. We also intend to publish areas of research interest later this year. UKRI has an important role in this but is not the only delivery partner