LABOUR'S RECORD RISE IN ANIMAL TESTING “ UNACCEPTABLE”, SAYS NEW CREWE & NANTWICH MP

[Guest guest]

If only our government would consider such a ban! The new Conservative MP for Crewe and Nantwich, Edward Timpson, hastold BUAV that the Conservatives are “open” to the prospect of abanon the use of animals to test household products. He also stated hisparty’s commitment to new measures to reverse the upward trend inanimal testing in the UK.Mr Timpson, who was elected as the MP for Crewe & Nantwich on 22May,responded to a letter from the BUAV’s Chief Executive, MichelleThew1,asking for a statement of his views on animal experimentation. Hesaid2:“I am deeply concerned that for a fifth consecutive year, [officialGovernment] figures show that the number of animals used in scientificprocedures has risen… it is clear that reform of the currentlegislation is needed…“The Conservative Party is also committed to tackling this

issuewhereLabour has failed. A 15 per cent rise in the number of living animalsused in scientific procedures since 2001 is unacceptable and the HomeOffice has shown scant regard for this spiralling trend.”And on the issue of household product tests using animals, he stated:“As for a ban on using animals to test household products, theConservative Party is open to such a prospect but a final decisionwill not be taken until late June.The BUAV is calling for a total ban on animal testing for householdproducts and their ingredients throughout the whole of the UnitedKingdom. At the time of writing, 117 MPs had signed an Early DayMotion (EDM)3 calling for the Government to stop granting licences foranimal testing for such purposes.-----Notes to editors1 Michelle Thew is available for interview.2 Mr Timpson’s full statement, together with those from the othermaincandidates, are

available on the BUAV websitewww.buav.org/e_crewe_nantwich_election.php3. EDM 1215 was tabled by David Drew MP and sponsored by a cross-partyselection of MPs. Its full text:“That this House notes the Government's 1997 policy prohibition ontheuse of animals to test the safety of cosmetic products and theiringredients, which was said to have been introduced on the basis thatthe suffering caused was not justified given the nature of theproduct; notes with regret that the Government has not implemented asimilar prohibition on the use of animals to test household products,such as washing-up liquid or floor cleaners, and their ingredients;supports the campaign of the British Union for the Abolition ofVivisection to end the suffering of animals in tests for householdproducts and their ingredients; and calls on the Government toimplement a policy prohibition on issuing licences to test householdproducts and their

ingredients on animals as a matter of urgency.”http://edmi.parliament.uk/EDMi/EDMDetails.aspx?EDMID=35441 & SESSION=891The BUAV has been campaigning for over 100 years to achieve a worldwhere nobody wants or believes we need to experiment on animals. Weare committed to achieving our aims through reliable and reasonedevidence-based debate. We are proudly non-violent and respect thequality of life for all – animals and people.For more information contact:Dave PowellPolicy Officer, BUAV020 7619 6970Switchboard: 020 7700 4888 http://pets.Fortheanimals7/join http://www.myspace.com/fortheanimals7