Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the auditing process in place for animal testing facilities.

All establishments licensed to breed or supply animals, or to carry out regulated procedures on animals under ASPA in Great Britain, are subject to the full requirements of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 (ASPA).

To provide assurance of compliance with the Regulations, the Regulator provides clear and accessible guidance and conducts regular on-site audits.

The published framework for audit is based on clear benchmarks and assessing compliance through organisational governance to encourage greater commitment to compliance. Both announced and unannounced site visits are undertaken within a risk- based framework to assure compliance and inspect the welfare, health, and environment of animals at any establishment.

Through a current regulatory reform programme, the Regulator is presently recruiting to have more Inspectors for audit related activities.