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Animal Experiments: Chemicals

Question for Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

UIN 100537, tabled on 7 October 2020

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if the Government will make it its policy to end the duplication of chemical testing on animals.

Answered on

16 October 2020

When the UK moves from the EU REACH system to UK REACH at the end of the Transition Period, the grandfathering of all existing UK-held REACH registrations into the UK system will avoid the need to duplicate animal testing associated with re-registration.

The UK has been at the forefront of opposing animal tests where alternative approaches could be used. This is known as the "last-resort principle", which we will retain and enshrine in legislation through our landmark Environment Bill

We are determined that there should be no need for any additional animal testing for a chemical that has already been registered, unless it is subject to further evaluation that shows the registration dossier is inadequate or there are still concerns about the hazards and risks of the chemical, especially to human health.