Question to the Home Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government, regarding Replacing animals in science: A strategy to support the development, validation and uptake of alternative methods, published on 11 November, what approach they plan to take to granting licences for (1) pharmacopoeial pyrogen testing, (2) pharmacopoeial adventitious agent testing, (3) skin irritation testing, (4) eye irritation testing, (5) skin sensitisation testing, (6) fish acute toxicity tests for chemicals registered under UK Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals, and (7) other tests not listed in the 'baskets'.

The Home Office regulates under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 (ASPA) to assure compliance with the robust protections afforded to animals used in science. Licences for animal testing are only granted when applicants demonstrate compliance with the principles of replacement, reduction and refinement (the 3Rs). This means, animals may only be used where there is no non-animal alternative, the number of animals is minimised, and the most refined methods of testing are used to minimise harms.

On 11 November 2025, the government published “Replacing animals in science: a strategy to support the development, validation and uptake of alternative methods”. This strategy sets out a timeline to phase out specific animal tests including those referenced in the question.

Of these, tests 1-5 are in Basket 1 (where mature replacement technologies exist), and test 6 is in Basket 2 (where alternatives could be developed in the medium term). The strategy provides details on each of these tests. The government is committed to supporting the development and adoption of alternative methods for other tests wherever possible.

Until these deadlines are reached, the Home Office will continue to apply the same rigorous licensing framework to all project licence applications proposing these tests, ensuring animals are only used where no validated non-animal alternative exists.