UK Government Position

Protecting people from animal rights extremists: A progress report (August 2006)

Statement from Tony Blair, MP, Prime Minister

“Hundreds of millions of people in the UK and around the world today are alive and healthy because of the pioneering work of our scientists and researchers. Many millions more will be spared an early death or a life of pain because of the research now under way. They deserve our support. And they should get it.”

Read the full report here

Animal Welfare - Human Rights (July 2004)

Selected excerpts from the report

" Britain has a long and proud record on animal welfare and protection. It explains why the UK has in place one of the world’s toughest regimes for licensing and controlling animal experiments. No animal procedures are allowed unless it can be shown that the research is essential, that there is no realistic alternative to the use of animals and that any suffering is kept to an absolute minimum."

" Most of the major medical advances over the last century have come about through animal research, and all new medicines are approved on the basis that their efficacy, safety and quality have been demonstrated by evidence including animal test data. Examples of health care improvements arising to some degree out of animal work include anaesthetics, vaccines, antibiotics, replacement heart valves, blood transfusions, kidney dialysis, and surgical procedures such as organ transplants."

" Research involving animals also benefits animals themselves. Currently, experimental research and drug testing on animals is needed to advance both human and veterinary medicine, the latter providing new treatments for both livestock and companion animals. Animals are used in research into animal welfare and other health issues such as the potential development of vaccines against bovine TB that could protect wild populations of badgers (that may act as carriers) as an alternative to culling. Animal welfare research aimed, for example, at improving husbandry and housing of livestock inevitably involves research with animals if it is to be animal-centred rather than based on subjective human ideas."

" The number of animal procedures started each year has reduced by 22% since 1987, continuing a downward trend first seen in the 1970s. In the commercial sector animal use has almost halved over the same period, even though investment in research and development has increased significantly. The use of animals is costly and time consuming and industry invests many millions of pounds in the development of alternatives. Recently the downward trend in animal use has flattened out and currently the number of procedures started each year fluctuates around 2.6 to 2.7 million."

" The Government applauds those companies and individuals who have stood firm in the face of continual intimidation from extremists. This situation is unacceptable for those whose daily lives are being blighted by extremists and the Government is determined not to allow extremists to dictate to businesses what they can and cannot do."

" Since the UK has one of the toughest regulatory regimes for animal testing the Government is determined to ensure that legitimate legal research – which has the potential to alleviate human suffering and find cures for diseases which we never thought possible – should be allowed to continue without the threat of intimidation or violence. If extremists commit criminal acts against individuals or companies they can expect the full force of the law to be used against them."

Read the full report here.