Letter from Lord Sharpe of Epsom
Published 15 November 2022
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Professor David Main
Chair of the Animals in Science Committee
By email only
14 November 2022
Dear Professor Main,
Thank you for your letter of 26 October enclosing the Animals in Science Committee’s report with advice on non-human primates which have been bred for use in scientific purposes. I will consider the contents of this report fully and respond to the recommendations in due course.
The Committee has raised an issue of inconsistency in the definitions used in the collection and publication of the statistics, specifically on the status of non-human primates used in scientific procedures. This concerns data on whether non-human primates are the first or second generation bred in captivity and whether they are sourced from self- sustaining colonies. The Home Office is taking steps to rectify this immediately. We are in the process of verifying existing data and collecting additional data relating to generation and colony status from licensed establishments, which will be published this month.
Corrections and revisions to our statistics follow the Home Office’s statement of compliance with the National Statistics Code of Practice. Future statistical releases will apply consistent definitions for generation and colony status of non-human primates.
This statistical reporting issue concerns data on the manner in which non-human primates used in scientific procedures are bred in captivity. No wild-caught non-human primates have been used in scientific procedures since 2014 when the data has been collected in this format.
I thank the Committee for their work on this report and look forward to reviewing Government policy in this area in light of the recommendations.
Lord Sharpe of Epsom