Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, with reference to the policy paper entitled Replacing animals in science: A strategy to support the development, validation and uptake of alternative methods, published on 11 November 2025, what progress she has made in positioning the UK as a global leader in alternative methods.

The Government is positioning the UK as a global leader in alternative methods by strengthening regulatory confidence through MHRA reform and investing in validation infrastructure and skills, supporting UK leadership by setting international benchmarks for how alternative methods are developed, assessed and adopted.

As part of this, we are scoping opportunities for international engagement at both multilateral and bilateral level, including plans to bring together international regulators to discuss the expansion of existing partnerships, the establishment of new partnerships, and priorities of mutual importance.

The Government will publish a delivery update later in 2026, alongside a set of key performance indicators covering all elements of the strategy.