In 2004 the Government established the National Centre for Replacement, Refinement and Reduction of Animals in Research (NCSRs) for research into alternatives to the use of animals in research; this is the first centre of its type in the world. Since its launch, baseline Government funding for the NCSRs has increased from £696,000 in 2004-05 to £2.218 million in this financial year. In addition to this, because of the number of additional high quality applications received, the NCSRs secured additional funding of £400,000 from the MRC-Medical Research Council—and BBSRC-the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council.
Research related to the 3Rs can also be submitted to MRC and BBSRC through their response mode funding mechanisms.