Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department has put checks in place to help ensure that commercial breeding licences for animal testing are used appropriately.

The use of animals in science is highly regulated. All establishments licensed to breed or supply animals, or to carry out regulated procedures on animals in Great Britain are subject to the requirements of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 (ASPA), including a three-tier licensing system and standards for the care and accommodation of animals, published in the Code of Practice. The Home Office regularly audits the compliance of all licence holders including announced and unannounced on-site inspections.