Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department has taken steps to implement the recommendations of the report by Dr Frances Rawle entitled The role of review and regulatory approvals processes for animal research in supporting implementation of the 3Rs, published on 27 February 2023.

The Rawle report identified opportunities to strengthen regulation and review processes supporting the 3Rs (Replacement, Reduction and Refinement) in animal research, some of which are led by the Home Office. The Home Office has taken substantive steps to implement the recommendations, including:

• Licensing reform: The National Centre for the 3Rs are undertaking a review of the project licence application form to ensure robust and targeted assessment of 3Rs compliance at the application stage. The NC3Rs will provide recommendations to the Home Office.
• Audit enhancements: The Regulator has reviewed its approach to auditing licensed scientific establishments. When launched, audits will include a greater focus on assessing the effectiveness of Animal Welfare and Ethical Review Bodies (AWERBs).

• Named persons and AWERBs: A commission has been issued to the Animals in Science Committee to seek advice on strengthening the roles of AWERBs and Named Information Officers, and to include a request for guidance on promoting the 3Rs beyond licence review.
• Increased 3Rs training and resources: the training package for inspectors has been enhanced with a greater emphasis on replacement methodologies.