Written questions by Obese-Jecty.

Innovation and Technology, with reference to her Department's policy paper entitled Replacing animals in science: A strategy to support the development, validation and uptake of alternative methods, published on 11 November 2025, what progress she has made in obtaining the full validation of the Comprehensive in vitro Proarrhythmia Assay (CiPA) initiative to predict the proarrhythmic potential of new drugs.

The strategy has not committed to obtaining the full validation of the Comprehensive in vitro Proarrhythmia Assay (CiPA) initiative to predict the proarrhythmic potential of new drugs.Basket 2 of the strategy outlines long‑term ambitions which must be science‑led, partnership‑based, and delivered over time.The strategy aims to use validated alternative methods to reduce the use of dogs and non-human primates in dedicated Pharmacokinetic studies for human medicines by at least 35% by 2030.

With reference to the Policy paper entitled Replacing animals in science: A strategy to support the development, validation and uptake of alternative methods, published on 11 November 2025, what progress has he made in replacing the use of animals in botulinum toxin batch potency testing.

In line with the Government’s strategy to replace animals in science, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) supports the use of non-animal approaches where they are fit for purpose and accepts that, where a biological product is not pharmacologically active in animals and no relevant animal model exists, studies in animals, including with surrogate molecules, should not be undertaken and first-in-human applications can be supported using non-animal data, such as in vitro methods and computer modelling, to inform expected human exposure and safety. Further information is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/replacing-animals-in-science-strategy/replacing-animals-in-science-a-strategy-to-support-the-development-validation-and-uptake-of-alternative-methodsMore broadly, alternative methods used to characterise safety must be demonstrated as fit for their intended purpose, and MHRA guidance, published in March 2026, sets out its current approach to medicines using non-animal methods, including how such approaches can support regulatory submissions and the adoption of validated alternatives as they become available. For potency testing and for adventitious agent testing, separate information for manufacturers on controls for batch release is on the MHRA website explaining how adoption of non-animal methods for these purposes is supported. Further information is available at the following two links:https://www.gov.uk/guidance/mhra-approach-to-medicines-using-non-animal-methodshttps://nibsc.org/about_us/our_use_of_animals.aspx

Innovation and Technology, with reference to the policy paper entitled Replacing animals in science: A strategy to support the development, validation and uptake of alternative methods, published on 11 November 2025, what progress she has made on establishing the Alternative Methods Strategy Delivery Group.

The Alternative Methods Strategy Delivery Group first met on 24 February 2026, and its next meeting is scheduled for 28 April 2026.

Innovation and Technology, with reference to the policy paper entitled Replacing animals in science: A strategy to support the development, validation and uptake of alternative methods, published on 11 November 2025, what progress she has made on restarting the survey on public attitudes to animal research.

A competition has been launched to secure support in delivering the next waves of the survey on public attitudes to animal research. Feedback from key stakeholders has been sought on the survey questions from the last wave.

How many animals have died during UK preclinical testing for Botox (Botulinum toxin) used in aesthetic applications each year since 2005.

The Home Office does not collect data on the fate of animals at the end of procedures. Under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986, licensed establishments are responsible for keeping records which include the fate of the animals. Home Office Inspectors in the Animals in Science Regulation Unit may ask to look at these records at any time. The number of animals used in scientific procedures can be found here: www.gov.uk/government/collections/animals-in-science-statistics. This data is broken down by year and by species and type of procedure.To protect human safety there are legal requirements to test the safety and potency of medicinal products and drug substances containing botulinum toxin. The testing of this medicinal product is required by the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Authority (MHRA).In November 2025, the Government published Replacing animals in science: A strategy to support the development, validation and uptake of alternative methods, which includes an aim to apply only validated alternative methods in the pharmacopoeial potency testing of botulinum toxin by the end of 2027.

Innovation and Technology, with reference to the policy paper entitled Replacing animals in science: A strategy to support the development, validation and uptake of alternative methods, published on 11 November 2025, what progress she has made on working with regulatory agencies to accelerate the replacement of the Rabbit Pyrogen Test with the Monocyte Activation Test across UK guidelines.

Rabbit pyrogen tests were removed from the British Pharmacopeia in 2025 under this Government, meaning that no rabbit pyrogenicity testing should now be conducted in the UK for any pharmacopoeial pyrogen testing purposes. International (ISO) standards for medical devices may require the use of rabbit pyrogen testing for market authorisation for non-UK markets. Where this is the case Prospective Authorisation would need to be granted by the Home Office, no such tests were carried out in 2025. We are working with the Home Office to ensure that no new licences are approved that include the use of the rabbit pyrogen tests where validated alternatives are available.

For what application are the 3 current active licences which authorise the use of the Forced Swim Test in preclinical animal testing.

The Home Office publishes annual National Statistics on the use of animals in scientific procedures in Great Britain under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986.As part of these statistics, information is collected and published on techniques of special interest. In 2024, the statistics included the forced swim test as a technique of special interest for the first time and includes information on the purpose of the research. All procedures were performed for the purpose of basic research in the areas of the nervous, endocrine and sensory systems, and were either mild or moderate severity.The annual statistics for 2025 will be published this year. The published annual statistics are available at:https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/animals-in-science-statistics

Innovation and Technology, with reference to her Department's policy paper entitled Replacing animals in science: A strategy to support the development, validation and uptake of alternative methods, published on 11 November 2025, what progress she has made in reducing animal use in cardiovascular safety studies.

Basket 2 of the strategy outlines long‑term ambitions which must be science‑led, partnership‑based, and delivered over time.Innovate UK in partnership with NC3Rs launched a funding call supporting the development and commercialisation of alternative methods for assessing the preclinical cardiovascular safety of new medicines: Contracts for Innovation: industrial human relevant drug models – UKRI. This follows work led by IUK and NC3Rs to build a community around this opportunity. https://www.ukri.org/opportunity/contracts-for-innovation-industrial-human-relevant-drug-models/The strategy aims to use validated alternative methods to reduce the use of non‑human primates and dogs in dedicated cardiovascular safety studies by at least 50% by 2030.

With reference to the policy paper entitled Replacing animals in science: A strategy to support the development, validation and uptake of alternative methods, published on 11 November 2025, what progress he has made on applying only validated alternative methods in the pharmacopoeial potency testing of botulinum toxin.

In line with the Government’s strategy to replace animals in science, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) supports the use of non-animal approaches where they are fit for purpose and accepts that, where a biological product is not pharmacologically active in animals and no relevant animal model exists, studies in animals, including with surrogate molecules, should not be undertaken and first-in-human applications can be supported using non-animal data, such as in vitro methods and computer modelling, to inform expected human exposure and safety. Further information is available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/replacing-animals-in-science-strategy/replacing-animals-in-science-a-strategy-to-support-the-development-validation-and-uptake-of-alternative-methodsMore broadly, alternative methods used to characterise safety must be demonstrated as fit for their intended purpose, and MHRA guidance, published in March 2026, sets out its current approach to medicines using non-animal methods, including how such approaches can support regulatory submissions and the adoption of validated alternatives as they become available. For potency testing and for adventitious agent testing, separate information for manufacturers on controls for batch release is on the MHRA website explaining how adoption of non-animal methods for these purposes is supported. Further information is available at the following two links:https://www.gov.uk/guidance/mhra-approach-to-medicines-using-non-animal-methodshttps://nibsc.org/about_us/our_use_of_animals.aspx

Innovation and Technology, with reference to the policy paper entitled Replacing animals in science: A strategy to support the development, validation and uptake of alternative methods, published on 11 November 2025, what progress she has made on applying only validated alternative methods for pharmacopoeial pyrogen testing.

Rabbit pyrogen tests were removed from the British Pharmacopeia in 2025 under this Government, meaning that no rabbit pyrogenicity testing should now be conducted in the UK for any pharmacopoeial pyrogen testing purposes. International (ISO) standards for medical devices may require the use of rabbit pyrogen testing for market authorisation for non-UK markets. Where this is the case Prospective Authorisation would need to be granted by the Home Office, no such tests were carried out in 2025. We are working with the Home Office to ensure that no new licences are approved that include the use of the rabbit pyrogen tests where validated alternatives are available.

Innovation and Technology, pursuant to the answer of 15 April 2026 to question 125651 on Animal Experiments, which Ministers sit on the Ministerial Board overseeing delivery of the Replacing Animals in Science Strategy.

The Ministerial Board overseeing delivery of the Replacing Animals in Science Strategy is chaired by Lord Vallance. Its membership includes Baroness Hayman, Parliamentary Under‑Secretary of State at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, and Lord Hanson, Minister of State at the Home Office.

What the cost is of the Defence Nuclear Enterprise in each year until 2029/30 as a proportion of GDP.

Spend in relation to the Defence Nuclear Enterprise will be considered as part of the Defence Investment Plan.

Innovation and Technology, with reference to the policy paper entitled Replacing animals in science: A strategy to support the development, validation and uptake of alternative methods, published on 11 November 2025, what progress she has made on creating a publicly available dashboard of progress against key deliverables.

The Government will publish a delivery update on progress across all elements of the strategy including the key performance indicators dashboard later in 2026.

Whether activity related to Ukraine via the Coalition of the Willing will be funded by the Ministry of Defence or from the contingency reserve.

The Government is investing in the UK Armed Forces to prepare for deployment as part of the Multinational Force for Ukraine (MNFU). This capital spending is being funded from the core defence budget and sends a clear signal to allies and adversaries of the UK's intent to lead the MNFU, fulfil our promises to secure the peace in Ukraine and deliver a new deal for European security to make Britain safer.

How many officers in each prison are a) currently trained in Operation Tornado control and restraint procedures and b) what percentage of operational staff in each prison does this represent.

The number of officers trained in Operation Tornado control and restraint procedures, as of 31 March 2026, and the percentage of operational staff that these staff represent, are set out in the attached table.

How many countries within NATO spent a larger proportion of GDP on defence than the UK in 2026/27.

NATO publishes defence expenditure figures for its members. As he will know figures for NATO members' defence spending for 2026-27 have not yet been published.

Innovation and Technology, with reference to the policy paper entitled Replacing animals in science: A strategy to support the development, validation and uptake of alternative methods, published on 11 November 2025, what progress she has made on developing mechanisms to enable regulators to increase uptake of the MHRA’s scientific advice service.

The strategy sets out seven commitments to increase confidence in the validation and regulatory uptake of alternative methods.On 24 March, the MHRA announced it will offer early regulatory review of non‑animal data, including data generated using in silico approaches, to provide clarity on how such data will be assessed ahead of clinical trials. MHRA is the first UK regulator to offer this service, setting a precedent which the Government expects other regulators to follow.The Government will publish a delivery update, including the regulatory elements of the strategy, later in 2026.

With reference to the “Defence Diplomacy Strategy, Keeping Britain Safe: secure at home and strong abroad”, page 30, by when does he plan to have produced a new Defence Diplomacy Doctrine.

In line with the commitments set out in the Defence Diplomacy Strategy, the Ministry of Defence is already progressing the development of a new Defence Diplomacy Doctrine, which will be published and in use across Defence in late 2026.

Innovation and Technology, with reference to the Policy paper: “Replacing animals in science: A strategy to support the development, validation and uptake of alternative methods”, published on 11 November 2025, what progress has she made in increasing challenge-led innovation funding schemes to deliver alternative methods priorities for a) development and b) validation.

The commitments to increase investment and expand challenge led innovation for alternative methods are being led by UKRI.The Strategy was supported by £75m of funding and commits to increasing investment in alternative methods. UKRI has been in discussion to consider the most effective delivery approach and £20 million of increased funding is already available through the Pre‑clinical Translational Models Hub funding call, launched in March 2026. In addition, Innovate UK launched a £2 million Contracts for Innovation competition in February 2026.

With reference to the “Defence Diplomacy Strategy, Keeping Britain Safe: secure at home and strong abroad”, page 30, by when does he plan to have reviewed our defence language provision.

As part of the implementation of the Defence Diplomacy Strategy, the Ministry of Defence is reviewing options to strengthen language proficiency across Defence and to enhance the language training available to internationally facing personnel. This work includes assessing how the current language provision delivered through the Defence Academy could be better utilised and expanded, exploring opportunities for closer cooperation with the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, and making use of new enablers, such as the Pan‑Defence Skills Framework, to identify, track and develop language proficiency across Defence. The scoping phase for this review is currently underway, which will determine the formal completion date. Defence is progressing this work alongside wider efforts to invest in our people, processes and technology to implement the direction of the Defence Diplomacy Strategy.