Minutes of Meetings Reports and Publications Consultation Letters Press Releases	Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 (available on the Home Office website)

Press Releases - December 1997

Cash To Fund Alternatives To Animal TestingTO INCREASE BY 42%

10 December 1997 Tel: 020 7273 4600

A £77,000 increase in Government cash sponsoring work to find alternatives to animal testing was announced by Home Office Minister Lord Williams today.

The research grants - made available to the Animals Procedures Committee - support work to reduce the numbers of animals, replace them where possible and refine procedures to minimise suffering.

It takes the figure to £259,000 for 1998/1999 - a £77,000 or 42 per cent increase - compared to the current financial year.

Lord Williams said:

"I am delighted to be able to announce an increase in the amount of money we can make available to sponsor this vital area of research.

"We are investing in the future. The Government is committed to supporting work which aims to support the 3Rs - these are the, reduction in the number of animals used, their replacement where possible and refinement of procedures.

"This is the first time for a number of years that there has been an increase in the amount of Government money being made available to the APC to sponsor this work."

The Government recently announced a range of measures including an end to the use of animals in cosmetic product testing and a ban on the use of Great Apes. It is also working towards a ban on the safety testing of ingredients intended primarily for vanity products.

Notes For Editorts:

The Animal Procedures Committee is an Independent body set up under The Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 to advise the Home Secretary on all matters concerned with its operation.

The Animal Procedures Committee research budget was £182,000 for 1997-1998.

Details of the budget being made available to the Animal Procedures Committee were given in answer to a Parliamentary Question from Lord Morris of Castle Morris.

Minutes of Meetings Reports and Publications Consultation Letters Press Releases	Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 (available on the Home Office website)