We are disappointed at the government’s failure to include its manifesto pledge to plan the phase-out of animal testing in the King’s Speech but we are primed and ready for future opportunities.
The manifesto promised to “partner with scientists, industry, and civil society as we work towards the phasing out of animal testing” but this commitment has been omitted from its initial legislative programme, which was announced at the State Opening of Parliament this afternoon – despite strong public support. Nevertheless, we are optimistic that the government will take opportunities to progress this mission in ways that don’t require changes to the law.
In 2021, our survey found that 66% of people want a government-led plan to phase-out animal experiments with a target date for ending tests in the UK.
We remain ready to assist the government with the development of a roadmap with clear targets, milestones and actions, led by a minister dedicated to co-ordinating plans across all departments.
Home Office statistics show that there were over 2.76 million uses of animals in laboratories in Great Britain in 2022. Ten per cent of those are tests required by regulators to assess the safety or effectiveness of chemicals, medicines and other products.
Our Head of Public Affairs, Dylan Underhill, said: “We are hugely disappointed that the government left out a plan to phase-out animal testing from the King’s Speech – and that they have failed to reflect both the views of the public and the strength of feeling that there is on this issue. Animal testing is simply not good science yet inexplicably continues as the default method for testing the safety of products. We know that, as a country, we can do so much better in our protection of the millions of animals that suffer and die in laboratories every year.
“Animal testing touches our lives in many ways that most of us don’t appreciate, from cosmetics and household products to clothes, furniture, plastics, electronic and white goods, paints, dyes, and food – all these things can be associated with animal testing on their way to our homes. Yet non-animal testing methods, in many cases, have already proven themselves to be faster, cheaper and more accurate than animal testing.
“We needed the government to take bold steps forward – without this, we will be condemned to a never-ending cycle of small reductions in animal testing numbers, rather than the transformative step forward which is needed to meet the aspirations of the public.
There is a lot that can be achieved without the need for changes to the law and we stand ready with a set of proposals to support the new government in doing this."
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