Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether the primates used in experimental procedures in 2016 were F1, born from wild parents, or F2 greater, born from parents who were also born in captivity; and how she plans to monitor the reduction in F1 primates that should occur if the colonies are truly self-sustaining.

All primates used for the first time in experimental procedures in 2016 were either F2 or greater or from self sustaining colonies.

The Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 defines a colony of animals as a self sustaining colony if:

(a) the colony is kept in captivity in a way that ensures the animals are accustomed to humans;

(b) the colony consists only of animals that have been bred in captivity; and

(c) the colony is sustained only by animals being bred within the colony or animals being sourced from other colonies that meet paragraphs (a) and (b).