Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many beagles have been approved for use in scientific research over the a) past five years and b) each year within.

The Home Office publishes non-technical summaries for each project licence granted under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986. These are published quarterly and include information on the species and the approved number of animals expected to be used over the lifetime of the project licence. These are available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/non-technical-summaries-of-projects-granted-under-aspa.

The Home Office also publishes annual statistics on the use of animals in science as Accredited Official Statistics. These contain information on the number of procedures conducted, including breakdowns by species of animals (including beagles) and by purpose. The statistics report both the total number of procedures conducted and the number of animals used for the first time in a given year. The statistics are available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/statistics-of-scientific-procedures-on-living-animals.

This Government remains firmly committed to working towards the phasing out of animals in science. The strategy, ‘Replacing animals in science’, sets specific targets to reduce the use of dogs by 2030, while ensuring the UK continues to support safe and effective scientific and medical research.