GovWire

Animals in Science Regulation Unit (ASRU) guidance and regulatory advice

You can read ASRU guidance that explains how the act is administered and enforced including detailed regulatory advice for licence holders

• Household products testing ban

• Guidance on the use of human material in animals

• Use, keeping alive and re-use

• Harm-benefit analysis

• Re-homing and setting free

• Working with animals taken from the wild

• Code of practice for the care and accommodation of animals

• E?cient breeding of genetically altered animals

• Severity classification of genetically altered animals

• Recording and reporting the actual severity of regulated procedures

• Process and standards for establishment full system audits

• Standard genetically altered rodents protocols (PDF, 280 KB, 40 pages)
• Standard genetically altered zebrafish protocols (PDF, 263 KB, 28 pages)

• Guidance on the use of standard genetically altered animals protocols (PDF, 104 KB, 5 pages)

• Guidance notes for project licence applications

From 5 July 2021, ASRU now provides regulatory delivery through 2 teams covering different areas each of which has a dedicated inbox. Read the Bridging ways of working guidance for advice.

Apply for licences

Three licences are required by the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 (ASPA) before testing on animals is allowed. The 3 licences needed are:

• personal licence for each person carrying out procedures on animals

• project licence for the programme of work

• establishment licence for the place at which the work is carried out

You should use the Animals in Science Procedures e-Licensing (ASPeL) system for all personal and project licence applications.

Contact your establishments Home Office liaison contact/administrator to start your application online.

If you are from an establishment that is not yet licensed, email ASPELTechnicalQueries@homeoffice.gov.uk.

Before applying, please read the standard conditions for personal licences, project licences and establishment licences.

You can also read guidance on:

• data protection impact assessment for the Animals in Science Procedures e-Licensing system

Add a named person role

People in named person roles are responsible for specific activities under the establishment licence (PEL), and you must add their names to the PEL in ASPeL. For example, the Named Animal Care and Welfare Officer (NACWO) oversees the care and welfare of animals.

Read about the requirements for named person roles in

• section 3.8 and section 8 in Guidance on the operation of ASPA.

• Guidance for training and continuous professional development under ASPA

When you add a named person to a PEL, this is classed as an amendment.

Find out how to nominate someone for a:

• Named Animal Care and Welfare Officer role
• Named Veterinary Surgeon role

Any named person responsible for animal welfare on the PEL will need to complete aconflict of interest declaration form.

Prospective authority licensing requests

Animal studies carried out to meet regulatory requirements will be performed in compliance with UK and EU legislative bodies.

Where studies are performed for other regulatory bodies, for example the US, and the study requirements exceed the UK or EU regulatory requirements, you must submit a prospective authorisation request form to ASRU.

The project licence holder at the establishment should complete the

View the original news story