Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether he is taking steps (a) at the International Council for Harmonisation of Technical Requirements for Pharmaceuticals for Human Use and (b) in other international regulatory forums to help increase the global (i) adoption and (ii) validation of human-specific technologies.

The Government is committed to the development of non-animal alternatives and will publish a strategy to support their development, validation and adoption later this year.

The Medicines & Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) adopts guidelines published by the International Council for Harmonisation of Technical Requirements for Pharmaceuticals for Human Use (ICH). The Government regularly engages with international regulators with a view to influencing guidance updates. Further details will be highlighted when the plan is published later this year.