I believe that the use of animals should be avoided wherever possible, and in the limited cases when animals are used, this should be done in accordance with strict guidelines to ensure any suffering is minimised. The carefully regulated use of animals in scientific research remains a vital tool in improving the understanding of how biological systems work and in the development of safe new medicines, treatments and technologies. At the same time, I believe that animals should only be used when there is no practicable alternative and I welcome the support and funding for the development and dissemination of techniques that replace, reduce and refine the use of animals in research.
Throughout history, research involving animals has been essential to our survival during epidemics and pandemics caused by infectious diseases. For example, animal research was vital in the development and production of the smallpox vaccine which eventually led to its eradication in 1980. It is worth remembering that, as a result of findings from animal studies, a large number of potential new drugs never get as far as being tested in humans. Some aspects of the toxicological assessment of new medicines cannot be adequately assessed in humans, and animal data will be the only kind available.
Without animal testing it is highly likely that a large number of potentially dangerous new medicines would be tested in healthy volunteers and patients in clinical trials, and I know Ministers believe that this would be quite unacceptable. However, animals are only used when there are no suitable alternatives, and by encouraging new cutting-edge approaches to science we will ensure that standards of animal welfare are improved. I am opposed to animal tests where alternative approaches could be used.
I fully support all steps to establish new methods and to support the life sciences and research industry. The Government is supporting and funding efforts to move away from all forms of animal testing. Funding through the UK Research and Innovation is directed to the National Centre for the ‘3Rs’ aiming to replace, reduce and refine animal testing. Since its launch, the National Centre has committed £100 million in research to develop new 3R technologies. £86million has already been invested with 73% on reducing use of animal testing and they have created a Non-Animal Technologies Roadmap setting out a 2030 strategy for how non-animal technologies could be used to replace the use of animals in research across several sectors. The Government’s focus on AI & Engineering Biology as 2 of our 5 strategic technologies will also provide significant support for the acceleration of 3R technologies.
The Government is also supporting research by Innovate UK, the Medical Research Council and the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council into new testing methods that no longer require the use of animals.
EU Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH).
It is welcome that the trade agreement struck with the EU recognises that voluntary cooperation on chemicals regulation can facilitate trade in ways that benefit consumers, businesses and the environment and can contribute to enhancing the protection of human and animal health. I am pleased that the agreement also notes the UK's and the EU's commitment to facilitating the exchange of non-confidential information on the issue of chemicals.
Ministers have stated their determination that there should be no need for any additional animal testing for a chemical that has already been registered to EU Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH). The Government will recognise the validity of any animal testing that has already been undertaken and so avoid the need for further testing. The grandfathering of all existing UK-held REACH registrations into the UK system will further avoid the need to duplicate animal testing associated with re-registration.
The UK is now able to establish its own independent chemical regime. Although both the UK and EU will operate REACH frameworks, the two systems will not be linked. This means that companies wishing to retain access to the UK market will be required to notify and submit registration data to the Health and Safety Executive to confirm the registrations and ensure compliance with UK REACH. I am pleased that the UK has been at the forefront of opposing animal tests where alternative approaches could be used.
As a result of this Brexit freedom, since May 2023, no new licences have been granted for animal testing of chemicals that are exclusively intended to be used as ingredients in cosmetics products. The Government is also engaging with the relevant companies to urgently determine a way forward on these legacy licences. The REACH regime is separate from, and has a different purpose to, the consumer cosmetics regulations, which is why it has been possible that a chemical used in cosmetics production may be required to be tested on animals.
Modern alternatives mean there are significant opportunities to design non-animal testing strategies for chemicals so that worker and environmental safety is unlikely to be compromised, and potentially enhanced. In this way, working with industry, the Government is seeking to improve safety by the application of new non-animal science and technology.
Animal testing labelling
The testing of cosmetics and their ingredients on animals in the UK has been banned since 1998 and the UK has been instrumental in introducing this ban across the European Union and beyond. In 2015 the Government implemented a ban on the testing of finished household products on animals as well as a qualified ban on household product ingredients. This ban was a clear statement of the UK’s commitment to animal welfare.
The Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008 (CPRs) already prevent deceptive commercial practices and should enable consumers to make informed choices about which products they want to buy. The Regulations also cover the omission of material information where goods are offered direct for sale to consumers and where the omission would be likely to affect the transactional decision of the average consumer.
In addition, there are controls in place on advertising in the UK. The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has responsibility for ensuring compliance with the British Code of Advertising, Sales Promotion and Direct Marketing, which requires all forms of advertising to be legal, decent, honest, truthful and prepared with a sense of responsibility to both consumer and society.