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The report shows an overall increase over the previous year of 1.4 per cent in the number of procedures undertaken. The total number of procedures was 2.9 million, an increase of 41,300 over the previous year. Although this is the highest total since 1992, it does not necessarily signal an established upward trend in animal use. A number of factors, including the economic climate and global trends in scientific endeavour, determine the overall level of scientific procedures.
Non-toxicological procedures accounted for about 86 per cent of the procedures carried out in 2005. These included studies for fundamental biological or
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In keeping with previous years, those procedures that used mice or rats (or other rodents) were the great majority, at 84 per cent. Those using fish amounted to 8 per cent and those using birds to 4 per cent. The total of all procedures using dogs, cats, horses and non-human primates—that is, those species offered special protection by the Act—was less than 1 per cent of the total.
Genetically normal animals were used in about 1.65 million regulated procedures, representing 57 per cent of all procedures for 2005 (compared with 59 per cent in 2004 and 84 per cent in 1995). Genetically modified animals (nearly all rodents) were used in 957,500 regulated procedures, representing 33 per cent of all procedures for 2005 (compared with 32 per cent in 2003 and 8 per cent in 1995). These trends have been evident over recent years, reflecting the changing balance in use between genetically normal and modified animals, and are set to continue as advances in genetic science open up new and promising avenues of research.
I should point out in relation to the statistics that the Home Office, as regulatory authority under the 1986 Act, does not control the overall amount of animal research and testing that takes place, the imperative being to minimise the numbers of animals used for justifiable purposes. We ensure, in carrying out our licensing function, that the provisions of the Act are rigorously applied in each programme of work. All animal use must be justified and, for each particular programme of work, the number of animals used and the suffering caused must be minimised.
Strategic Export Controls: Annual Report
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Lord Triesman): The 2005 annual report on strategic export controls will be published today as a Command Paper. Copies will be placed in the Library of the House. The report describes UK policy and international developments in export control regimes, as well as information on export licensing decisions taken during 2005.
The annual report on strategic export controls is an innovation of this Government. This report, the ninth annual report (the first report was published in 1997), is a step away from the traditional reports of the past. Our export licensing system is one of the most rigorous and transparent regimes in the world and the annual report, in this new format, symbolises our continued commitment to accountability and transparency by presenting detailed information in a more modern and user-friendly format. This year, due to the increasing volume of information on strategic
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Transport: Journey Time Targets
Lord Davies of Oldham: My right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Transport (Douglas Alexander) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.
In my Written Ministerial Statement of Tuesday 18 July 2006 (Official Report, col. 87WS), the department published new targets for journey times in urban areas. The target included for Merseyside unfortunately used an interim version of Merseyside's target, rather than the final target that was adopted. Incorporating the final target has a small beneficial effect on the national journey time target, lowering it by just 0.03 per cent.
The revised success criterion is therefore as follows: the target will be deemed to have been met if, on target routes in the 10 largest urban areas in England, an average increase in travel of 4.4 per cent is accommodated within an increase of 3.6 per cent in person journey time per mile.
An updated PSA and technical note has been placed on the departmental website today. Copies have been placed in the Library of the House.
United Nations
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Lord Triesman): My honourable friend the Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (Dr Kim Howells) has today laid before the House Command Paper 6892 entitled The United Kingdom in the United Nations. The Command Paper provides a comprehensive overview of the work of the United Nations and details the UK's significant contribution to the UN's efforts, consistent with the UK's strong support for the organisation.
Vehicle Registers: Release of Data
Lord Davies of Oldham: My honourable friend the Minister of State for Transport (Stephen Ladyman) has made the following Ministerial Statement.
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I am today announcing 14 major new measures to ensure that the release of data from the UK vehicle registers is undertaken in a way that:
protects vehicle keepers from misuse of their information;ensures that those who have reasonable cause can get the data they need;balances the right to privacy of individuals whose data are held on the register with the need of others to gain proper redress;is cost-effective, in that the costs to all are proportionate to the benefits that the scheme delivers; andis right in principle and works in practice.This follows the review that I announced in December last year and the public consultation launched in February this year. I will give a full update on progress in delivering these new measures in the autumn. I will continue to scrutinise closely the way in which the scheme operates and how it is used. Should further action be merited, I will ensure that it is taken quickly.
The new measures are as follows.
New requirements for evidence of “reasonable cause”
New detailed guidance on what is likely to constitute “reasonable cause”.
Clarity that behaviour in using data will be considered in judging whether a particular applicant's assertions as to the “reasonable cause” for his application are to be believed, and in deciding whether approved conditional access is granted or maintained.
For all applications where “reasonable cause” relates to a vehicle left on land without permission or in breach of terms and conditions, evidence is required that the applicant is the landowner or has the permission of the landowner to pursue the vehicle keeper.
For all applications where “reasonable cause” relates to the pursuit of a penalty charge, evidence is required that a penalty scheme was indeed in place on that piece of land (eg that there was signage).
New requirements for “approved conditional access”
Those bodies and companies seeking approved conditional access that do not have an appropriate regulatory body are required to be current members of an “accredited” trade association. Part of the process for “accrediting” trade associations will include ensuring that there is a clear and enforced code of conduct (for example, relating to conduct, parking charge signage, charge levels, appeals procedure, approval of ticket wording, and appropriate pursuit of penalties, eg approach by letter only and county court action only to permit a house call).
Organisations that do not comply with the terms of the accredited trade association will be expelled and without valid membership of another accredited trade association will lose their approved conditional
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All those seeking approved conditional access will be required to serve a “probationary” period of six months or, if longer, for the period of time that it takes to make 20 requests—during which all requests should be made on a case-by-case basis.
New measures to ensure awareness of the vehicle keeper
That all those who receive data, as evidence of their “reasonable behaviour” and as a condition of “approved conditional access”, include in any correspondence with the keeper a leaflet or statement advising them of:
the “reasonable cause” which formed the basis of the request;the “complaints” procedure by which a data subject can notify both DVLA and the Information Commissioner if they believe that their data have been used inappropriately; andthe appeals procedure (for the regulatory body) if they feel that, for example, a parking charge notice has been issued incorrectly.And that this information is also placed on the DVLA website.
That DVLA maintains on its website a list of organisations and companies that have requested data and the reasons for their request.
That a reference to the location on the DVLA website of guidance and advice and all other information relating to the release of vehicle keeper data is included on all DVLA documentation sent to the vehicle keeper, including the annual VED reminder.
New auditing procedures and action to combat misuse or complaints
A rolling three-year programme of audit check, including targeted checks on those where concerns have been raised.
A clear set of procedures where such concerns are raised:
an audit is triggered by complaints of substance representing a disproportionate level of granted requests or any complaint of a serious nature;if, following implementation of the audit recommendations, a disproportionate level of complaints of substance is received, an organisation with approved conditional access will be required to submit requests on a case-by-case basis; if it is24 July 2006 : Column WS164
A clear procedure by which data subjects can notify DVLA if they feel that their data have been used inappropriately; steps must be taken to draw this to the attention of vehicle keepers by including information in paperwork sent to them and on the DVLA website. This will include information of how they can notify the Information Commissioner of the misuse of their data.
Complaints received will form part of the evaluation of whether an applicant's assertion of “reasonable cause” is valid.
Water Efficiency: Consultation
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Communities and Local Government (Baroness Andrews): My honourable friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.
Members will be interested to know that the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) and the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) will be jointly consulting during the Recess on ways of making water efficiency mandatory. The consultation will cover water efficiency in new homes, in existing buildings and in respect of the domestic uses of non-household buildings. We are considering a range of measures, including amendments to the Building Regulations 2000. There will be a slightly longer consultation than normal—four months rather than three—as we recognised the difficulty of consulting during a holiday period.
Copies of the consultation document will be available later in the year on both the DCLG and Defra websites and in the Libraries of both Houses. I will be writing separately to Peter Ainsworth, chairman of the Environmental Audit Committee, Michael Jack, chairman of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee, and Dr Phyllis Starkey, chairman of the Communities and Local Government Committee.
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