To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his Answer to the hon. Member for Newport, West (Mr. Flynn) of 6 November 1997, Official Report, column 284, if additional funds have been secured for research into alternatives to animal use in scientific procedures. [20615]

I am pleased to announce that the budget which will be made available to the Animal Procedures Committee on 1998–99 to sponsor research to reduce, refine or replace animal experiments will be £259,000. This is an increase of £77,000 compared to the 1997–98 figures.