To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent assessment she has made of (a) the conditions in which monkeys are held at Nafovanny, Long Thanh, Vietnam and (b) the appropriateness of allowing the importation of monkeys from that facility under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986. (267754)

In July 2008, a review of the Nafovanny Centre against the published qualifying criteria confirmed the centre as category A (no issues or only minor issues noted). Nafovanny's suitability was reviewed again in February 2009 in the light of a recent campaign report, in which allegations were made about the use and condition of some small cages. As a result, the centre remains acceptable as a source of non-human primates, but has been reassigned as category B (issues identified that require further monitoring by the Inspectorate and/or action by the breeding centre). Accordingly, a visit by the Home Office Inspectorate to Nafovanny has been arranged and is scheduled to be completed before the end of May 2009. Since the date of the last assessment there have been no requests from users to acquire animals from Nafovanny.