Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Animal Testing

Wednesday 12 February 2025 · 2 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 0 Partly answered 2 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Irene Campbell asked the Minister to meet the all-party parliamentary group on phasing out animal experiments in medical research to discuss future plans and a strategy for the manifesto commitment on phasing out animal testing.
  • Ben Obese-Jecty inquired about the tests that will be phased out via the work of the National Centre for the Replacement, Refinement and Reduction of Animals in Research (NC3Rs) and requested a timeline for this process.
  • The Minister responded that a timeline for phasing out tests could not be provided at the moment, but a practicable policy and strategy would be published by the end of the year.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Irene Campbell Lab North Ayrshire and Arran
Agriculture & Rural Affairs
Context

The question arises from the all-party parliamentary group on phasing out animal experiments in medical research, where Members work together to push for non-animal replacements in scientific experiments.

Question

I am chair of the all-party parliamentary group on phasing out animal experiments in medical research. Will the Minister meet me and the APPG to discuss future plans and a strategy for the manifesto commitment on phasing out animal testing?

Answer from The Minister for Data Protection and Telecoms (Chris Bryant)

I did not know that my hon. Friend had taken over the APPG; it is a good thing that it exists. We will work very closely with the APPG. Whether I am the right Minister or whether there is a more intelligent Minister—or a more charming one, perhaps—who might be of more assistance to her, I will make sure that she gets all the Ministers that she needs.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The specific request for a meeting was not directly addressed. The Minister offered to connect the questioner with other relevant ministers but did not commit to arranging a direct meeting.

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Q2 Ben Obese-Jecty Con Huntingdon
NHS
Context

In Ben Obese-Jecty's constituency of Huntingdon, there are two sites involved in pre-clinical animal testing. The Minister for Science, Research and Innovation wrote to him in September outlining the Government’s approach to phasing out animal testing.

Question

What tests will be phased out via the work of the National Centre for the Replacement, Refinement and Reduction of Animals in Research (NC3Rs) and when? Will a timeline be published?

Answer from The Minister for Data Protection and Telecoms (Chris Bryant)

I cannot provide the hon. Gentleman with that timeline now. We are working at pace trying to put together a practicable policy and a strategy which, as I said, we will publish by the end of the year. He makes a perfectly good point about the complexities. It will not be easy for the MHRA to meet its international commitments and our manifesto commitments. We are happy to work with the sector as well as with other Departments to deliver this, and I am happy to have a conversation with him if that would help.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The specific request for a timeline was not provided directly. The Minister stated they were working on it but did not give a concrete timeline or list of tests.

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