Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the implications for the regulatory regime for animal experimentation of the findings of the Animals in Science Committee report into Imperial College, published in July 2014.

The Animals in Science Committee found no evidence of omission on the part of the Animals in Science Regulation Unit and its inspectors in their oversight of Imperial College London. I welcome and endorse their confidence in the work of inspectors.

Nevertheless, the ASC report makes several sensible recommendations to support inspectors in achieving improvement in establishments where a pattern of low-level concerns is apparent. The outcome of all the ASC’s recommendations should be to drive better practice across all licensed establishments and I intend to ensure these improvements are made. I have fully accepted all the recommendations.