The Ministry of Defence have outlined their position on animal testing.
Dan Jarvis, Member of Parliament for Barnsley Central, asked via a written Parliamentary question:
“To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what his Department’s policy on animals in warfare testing.”
Jeremy Quin, Minister of State for the Ministry of Defence, replied:
“The Ministry of Defence does not conduct animal experiments for the development or testing of offensive weapons, and the Home Office does not grant licences for those purposes.
Where no alternative exists, the Ministry of Defence uses animals in experiments for the development of new vaccines, treatments or medical procedures. These are regulated by the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 and licensed by the Home Office.”