Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what resources have been allocated to the planned phased approach to policy development on decapods, including the number of full-time equivalent staff involved, dedicated budget, external expertise commissioned and any other support.

The Home Office has written to the Animals in Science Committee setting out its phased approach to developing proportionate and evidence-based arrangements for decapods used in scientific procedures. As part of this approach, the Home Office is developing a roadmap setting out objectives and key milestones to enable the development of the evidence base needed to inform future policy decisions. The Home Office will publish further information on its approach to regulating decapods used in science in due course.

The initial phase of this work focuses on the adoption of industry-led welfare standards, supported by voluntary reporting, targeted training and preparatory work. Further steps may include seeking technical advice and engaging relevant experts where appropriate.

This activity is being undertaken using existing resources and budget. As of July 2026, the Animals in Science Regulation Policy Unit has 8.6 full-time equivalent staff who support a range of priorities including policy development for decapods. The Unit collaborates with a range of other government teams to progress project activity. Resourcing arrangements will be kept under review as the policy develops.