Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to provide for whistle-blowers to report concerns over breaches of animal experimentation licences.

The Animals in Science Committee report on "Lessons to be Learnt" recommended that Establishment Licence holders should ensure that all those involved with work under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 have a readily accessible means of raising ‘causes for concern’ with the management of their establishment. The Government response confirmed that we will take this forward.

Mechanisms for raising causes of concerns should be an integral component of a good culture of care and therefore bought into the remit of the Home Office Inspectorate. The Inspectorate has already worked with several organisations to develop guidance for interested parties.

Establishment licence holders should have systems in place to facilitate reporting of concerns as part of the requirement of the Animal Welfare & Ethical Review Body to establish and review management and operational processes for monitoring, reporting and follow up in relation to the welfare of animals housed or used in the licensed establishment.

The processes put in place are monitored as part of the inspection regime.