Question to the Home Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Hanson of Flint on 26 March (HL15813), what assessment they have made of the compatibility of granting licences for the use of animals in scientific testing with their Replacing animals in science strategy, published 11 November 2025.

The Replacing animals in science strategy recognises that, while the long‑term vision is to replace the use of animals in science wherever possible, some animal use remains necessary at present to develop and test new medicines, advance understanding of biology and disease, and to protect human and animal health and the environment. These activities are integral to the UK’s national health preparedness and resilience, including the ability to respond to emerging health threats. Progress towards the phasing out of animal use must be science‑led and supported by reliable alternative methods.

Under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986, the use of animals in scientific procedures is subject to a strict regulatory framework. Project licence applications must demonstrate that the harms to animals are justified by the expected benefits to society, the environment or animals themselves. They must also comply fully with the principles of Replacement, Reduction and Refinement (the 3Rs). This means that animals cannot be used if a suitable non‑animal method exists, the minimum number of animals must be used, and any harms must be minimised through the most refined methods available.

Accordingly, the licensing regime is compatible with the strategy; it enables only tightly controlled animal use where it is scientifically justified and no suitable alternative exists, while continuing to drive the development, validation and uptake of non-animal approaches.