We want to see an end to these feeble excuses put forward to protect an industry that simply can't justify itself without hiding behind this veil of secrecy. In Britain, 2.6m experiments a year are carried out on living animals, mainly mice and rats. Scientists who want to do such experiments must apply for a licence from the home office. The home office said it granted licences only when the benefits of research outweighed the pain, suffering, or lasting harm that might be experienced by animals. Each licence sets out how experiments are to be done.
Inspectors scrutinise applications and visit laboratories to check compliance.
A summary of infringements is given in the annual report of the animal procedures committee, which advises the home secretary, Jack Straw, on animal experiments. This summary is shorn of all names of researchers and laboratories. One licence was revoked, but the misdemeanour is not specified. Some 14 infringements occurred in universities, the other three in commercial labs. In 15 cases, experiments were conducted outside stipulated terms of licences.