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Animal Experiments: Scotland

Volume 498: debated on Tuesday 27 October 2009

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the primary purpose was of each (a) procedure and (b) field of research carried out on animals in Scotland in 2008 under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 involving (i) fish, (ii) pigs and (iii) genetically modified animals; and what the reasons were for the increase in the number of procedures carried out on (A) fish, (B) pigs and (C) genetically modified animals in Scotland in that year in relation to the previous year. (295692)

The information available is provided in the following tables. Data by primary purpose are provided for both 2007 and 2008 to indicate the reasons for increases, i.e. in which primary purposes the numbers of procedures increased. The overall level of scientific procedures is determined by a number of factors, including the economic climate and global trends in scientific endeavour. Data by field of research are only collected for non-toxicological procedures.

Information relating to each individual procedure is not available, to protect statistical confidentiality, in line with the Code of Practice for Official Statistics.

Scientific procedures by species of animal and primary purpose of the procedure, Scotland 2008 and 2007

Number of procedures

Pig

Fish

GM Animals1

2008

2007

2008

2007

2008

2007

Fundamental biological research

372

362

171,489

36,812

70,229

74,056

Applied studies—human medicine or dentistry

158

149

58

2,373

2,792

Applied studies—veterinary medicine

219

191

7,224

11,263

19

Protection of man, animals or the environment

996

1,742

11

Education

Training

Direct diagnosis

4

15

Breeding

134

63

4,668

1,772

104,739

74,295

Total

883

765

184,435

51,589

177,345

151,188

1 GM animals totals includes procedures using mice, rats, pigs, domestic fowl, fish.

Scientific procedures (non-toxicology) by field of research, Scotland 2008

Number of procedures

Pig

Fish

GM Animals1

Anatomy

134

5,788

21,096

Physiology

212

135,545

16,794

Biochemistry

7,583

Psychology

1,144

2,857

Pathology

1,221

5,831

Immunology

90

1,507

39,543

Microbiology

38

3,605

406

Parasitology

2,132

185

Pharmacology

18

5,136

Pharmaceutical R and D

4

2,372

Therapeutics

30

2,325

Clinical medicine

840

Clinical surgery

48

Genetics

1,380

9,178

Molecular biology

320

12,579

Cancer research

1,473

43,296

Nutrition

332

150

Zoology

662

Botany

Animal Science

6,409

Ecology

24

Animal welfare

52

Other purpose

23,224

147

Total

578

178,357

176,775

1 GM animals totals includes procedures using mice, rats, pigs, domestic fowl, fish.