Deputy First Minister rejects petition aimed at ending scientific experiments on animals

Martin Shipton

Deputy First Minister Huw Irranca-Davies has dismissed a petition organised by animal rights campaigners who want scientific experiments on animals to end, making the point that animal experimentation is a matter reserved to Westminster.

The group has responded by saying its intention was to persuade universities in Wales to stop funding research that entailed experiments on animals.

The petition attracted 13,931 signatures and is due to be discussed by the Petitions Committee on April 28.

Home Office

In a letter to Carolyn Thomas, chair of the Senedd’s petitions committee, Mr Irranca-Davies stated: “The first point to make is that animal experimentation is not a devolved matter. The Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 and predecessor legislation has been overseen by the UK’s Home Office for many decades. The four Welsh universities which have had staff, premises and experiments licensed under the 1986 Act have all signed up to the 3Rs principles (Reduce, refine, replace) and the Concordat on Openness on Animal Research.

“These are coordinated by the National Centre for the 3Rs, which has several funding schemes to enhance and increase alternatives to animal testing. One example is the Cardiff University ‘micro-lung’, developed using human tissue left from operations. The Welsh Government provides funding for Medr (and formerly HEFCW). Medr then distributes this funding to universities. Part of the funds will be for Quality Related (QR) funding. This provides stability of funding for longer-term strategic investment in an institution’s research base.

“The amount received by each institution is based on a formula linked to their performance in the Research Excellence Framework (REF). Neither the Welsh Government nor Medr, however, specify how institutions use this funding. Universities are autonomous institutions, free to decide on their research priorities and therefore how they will use this funding.”

Funding

Responding, petition organiser, Deborah Davies of the group Wales Against Animal Experiments stated: “Please be assured that we are aware that animal experimentation is not devolved to Wales. Our petition did not ask the Welsh Government to end animal experiments as this is not in its gift.

“Rather, we invited the Welsh Government to take the initiative of ending its own funding of such procedures and thereby encourage industry and the charitable sector to follow suit. The importance of the biomedical sector to the Welsh economy is not disputed, but we believe that the expansion of the sector as urged by the Senedd Cross Party Group on Medical Research (CPG) requires input from the Welsh Government in terms of direction.

“ It’s not simply a question of allowing scientists to determine their own priorities, as expansion would inevitably result in an increase in animal use. This would fly in the face of the UK Government’s pledge to ‘partner with scientists, industry, and civil society as we work towards the phasing out of animal testing’ and would be disastrous on ethical, economic and scientific grounds.

“A growing body of scientific literature documents the poor reliability and predictive value of animal studies for human health outcomes due to biological species differences. A reliance on animal data can lead to ineffective or harmful treatments in clinical trials and the loss of potential new therapies

“It is sadly evident, contrary to what those in favour of animal experimentation may say, that sentient animals are being harmed and killed unnecessarily in our universities, in contravention of the law. Since submitting the petition, we have been keeping abreast of developments connected to the UK Government’s manifesto pledge. It has become apparent that some policy makers have accepted the argument that animals are required to observe the effects of an intervention or drug on an entire body system.

“There is, in addition, a growing moral concern about the use of animals in medical research in the 21st century (as indicated by several recent polls and the number of signatures garnered by our petition). While the Welsh Government can rightly claim that animal experimentation is not an area for which it has responsibility, it is responsible for scrutinising how it spends its limited resources. We ask that it choose to withhold funds for projects and initiatives which are known to involve animal use.

“While partnering with key stakeholders in medical research is no doubt beneficial, doing so without taking a stance in opposition to animal testing is facilitating the continuation of such research. Will Quince, former Minister of State, confirmed in response to a parliamentary question in 2023: ‘there is no United Kingdom legislation that mandates animal testing’. Further, the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) has a policy of not funding ‘work involving animals, animal tissue or both’.

“Is Wales really going to continue causing suffering and death to sentient beings, irrespective of public opinion, when there is no legal requirement nor scientific basis to do so? Just short of 32,000 ‘procedures’ took place in Wales in 2023 but this figure excludes the animals bred and not used which are then destroyed.

“For instance, on its website, Swansea University declares a total of 430 procedures conducted on fish in 2023 but a Freedom of Information request revealed that over 8,000 fish were ‘euthanised’ at the institution in the same year. While NAMs are gaining ground in Wales as elsewhere, investment is necessary in order to promote innovation. Diverting funds from animal research can only bring rewards in terms of public health and economic growth.”