Thank you for contacting me about animal testing.
I know that the testing of animals for research is a controversial and emotive topic, and appreciate how strongly you and other campaigners feel about these issues.
Animal research in the UK is regulated by the Home Office under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986. Under that legislation, the use of animals in research is prohibited if there is a non-animal method available that could be used instead. Put simply, animals can only be used in research when no alternative methods are available.
I share the Government’s ambition to phase out the use of animals in the testing process. I do not think, however, that it is realistic to do so in the timeframe requested by campaigners.
It is critical that we continue to invest in research into the 3Rs: replacing the use of animals in research where unnecessary, reducing the use of animals, and refinement to eliminate or reduce distress to the animals involved in research.
Through the National Centre for the Replacement, Refinement and Reduction of Animals in Research (NC3Rs), the last Government invested £90 million in research and a further £27 million in contracts through its CRACK IT Challenges innovation scheme for UK and EU-based institutions.
In 2024, the then Minister of State for Science, Research and Innovation, Andrew Griffith MP, announced that UK Research and Innovation would double its investment in research to £20 million per annum in fiscal year 2024/25 to achieve the 3Rs and develop non-animal alternatives.
Thank you again for taking the time to contact me.
