Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she has made a recent assessment of the potential merits of increasing the number of in-person inspections of establishments licensed under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986.

The Regulator has strengthened its regulatory oversight and published its process of full system audits at: www.gov.uk/guidance/animal-research-technical-advice#process-and-standards-for-establishment-full-system-audits.

The Regulator’s audit programme for compliance assurance purposes is delivered in accordance with the requirements defined in the legislation. This includes in-person announced and unannounced visits to licensed establishments.