Written questions

Animal Experiments

Commons · Question 4423 · Tabled 29 May 2026 · Home Office · Official record

Answered 4 Jun 2026

Question

Asked by Ruth Jones

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the use of informal hierarchies of animal sentience by the Animals in Science Regulation Unit in discharging its duties under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 19

Answer

Answered by Sarah Jones, 4 Jun 2026

The Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 (ASPA) does not operate through informal hierarchies of sentience. Instead, it statutorily requires that, wherever possible, animals with the lowest capacity to experience pain, suffering, distress and lasting ...