Home Office Licences
The welfare of animals in research is protected by law. The Animals Scientific Procedures Act 1986 (ASPA) and Amendment Regulations 2012 protects all animals used in procedures for scientific purposes. This Act is implemented by the Animals in Science Regulation Unit (ASRU) of the Home Office. ASRU comprises of inspectors, licensing officers and those responsible for formulating policy.
In order for an individual to perform procedures on animals under the ASPA and Amendment Regulations 2012, 3 types of Home Office licence must be obtained from ASRU:
(1) An establishment licence for the place at which the work is carried out
(2) A project licence for the programme of work
(3) A personal licence for each person carrying out procedures on animals
The establishment licence holder must put in place measures to ensure that the regulated activities carried out at the establishment are performed in a manner that is consistent with the principles of replacement, reduction and refinement of the use of animals (3Rs). The institution's Animal Welfare and Ethical Review Body (AWERB) plays an important role in ensuring that this requirement is met within all projects carried out at the institution that involve the use of protected animals.