The secrecy clause
The Home Office publishes basic numbers about animal experiments by type of test and species used. But they don’t describe any of the animal welfare conditions or what happens to animals at the end.
Ask people about animal testing in the UK and you’re unlikely to come away with clear answers. It isn’t their fault – it’s not about being uninformed; it’s about legislation that prevents us from knowing.
What are conditions in laboratories like? What happens if labs are not meeting required standards? What are the animals allowed to eat and drink and how are they accommodated? What animal management qualifications do the breeders, handlers and researchers hold?
They’re all questions we can’t answer because of an outdated clause – section 24 – that makes it a criminal offence for the government to release such details about animal experiments.
The Home Office publishes basic numbers about experiments by type of test and species used. But they don’t describe any of the animal welfare conditions and they don’t include figures about what happens to animals after experiments have ended.
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Behind closed doors
As taxpayers, consumers and shareholders, we’re often inadvertently paying for animal experiments whether we like it or not, but there’s no real way to learn about the lives of animals in laboratories. If we try to find out, appeals for information are often blocked under section 24 of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 (ASPA).
This so-called ‘Secrecy Clause’ means animal welfare campaigners and the public alike can only guess how animals are treated. Learn more about why this matters by watching our short video.
Let’s stop the secrecy
The urgent need to change section 24 has been recognised by many as a necessary step towards improving openness and transparency in animal experiments. The UK government held a public consultation about reviewing section 24 way back in 2014, but it has never released the outcome of that consultation. Read our report about the history of section 24 and the missed opportunities to amend it.
What we do know
There are some features of the UK animal testing regime we can be clear about.
The consequences of section 24 are dire - it hinders public scrutiny and accountability of animal testing. We want it to be repealed so there can be a proper debate about animal experiments in the UK.
How you can help
There are lots of ways to help with our work, from making a donation through to holding fundraising events or even getting involved as a volunteer. Below, you can explore the different ways to help us continue raising standards for animals.
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