Animal Procedures Committee

The Animal Procedures Committee advises the British Home Secretary on matters related to animal testing in the UK. The function of the committee was made a statutory requirement by the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 (the Act), which mandates that it should have at least 12 members, excluding the chair. [http://www.archive.official-documents.co.uk/document/hoc/321/321-xa.htm] There are currently 19 members.

Composition of members

The Act stipulates that at least two-thirds of the members have full registration as medical practitioners or veterinary surgeons, or that they be qualified in a relevant biological subject; that one member be a barrister, solicitor, or advocate; that at least half the membership should not have held an animal-testing licence during the last six years; and that the interests of animal welfare should be adequately represented. [http://www.archive.official-documents.co.uk/document/hoc/321/321-xa.htm]

There is normally an academic philosopher on the committee, although this is not required by the Act. There are currently two philosophers: Dr. Stephen R.L. Clark of the University of Liverpool and Professor Alan Holland formerly of the University of Lancaster.

Members are appointed for terms of up to four years and may be re-appointed once. Apart from the Chair, members receive only expenses. [http://www.apc.gov.uk/aboutapc/composition.htm]

Work of the committee

The committee advises the government on policy and practise, and examines some licence applications and alleged infringements with a view to advising the Home Secretary.

The licence applications the committee sees are so-called "project licences" involving the use of primates in "procedures of substantial severity," and the use of "wild-caught primates." [http://www.apc.gov.uk/aboutapc/ourwork.htm]

Membership

As of July 2006, the committee members (and their professional affiliations) were: [http://www.apc.gov.uk/members/interest.htm] :

*Sara Nathan (chair)
*Professor Chris Atterwill, Director of Prognus Ltd;
*Professor Donald Broom, Colleen Macleod Professor of Animal Welfare, University of Cambridge;
*Professor Grahame Bulfield, Vice-Principal and Head of College of Science and Engineering, University of Edinburgh;
*Professor Stephen R.L. Clark, Professor of Philosophy, University of Liverpool;
*Dr John Doe, Head of Health Assessment, Syngenta;
*Dr Michael Festing, freelance consultant for Harlan UK;
*Professor Alan Holland, Professor Emeritus, University of Lancaster;
*Dr Robert Hubrecht, Deputy Director of the University Federations for Animal Welfare;
*Dr Peter Hunt, Biological Standards Officer, Cardiff University;
*Robert Kemp, retired animal technician;
*Professor Keith Kendrick, Head of Cognitive and Behavourial Neuroscience, The Babraham Institute;
*Professor Alan McNeilly, Deputy Director, Medical Research Council Human Reproductive Sciences Unit;
*Graham Moore, veterinary surgeon and consultant, Science Policy & Scientific Affairs, Pfizer Ltd [http://www.google.com/search?q=cache:MXCkdQ0WaYkJ:scienceandresearch.homeoffice.gov.uk/animal-research/publications/publications/pcd-holders-circulars/pcdcirc3_2003.pdf%3Fview%3DBinary+Graham+Moore,+Pfizers&hl=en&gl=ca&ct=clnk&cd=1]
*Dr Tim Morris, Head of Animal Ethics and Welfare, Department of Laboratory Animal Science, GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceuticals;
*Professor Dawn Oliver, Professor of Constitutional Law, University College London;
*Professor John Pickard, Professor of Neurosurgery, University of Cambridge;
*Dr Mark Prescott, Programme Manager, National Centre for the Replacement, Refinement and Reduction of Animals in Research
*Professor Genevra Richardson, Professor of Law, King's College London.

References

* [http://www.apc.gov.uk/aboutapc/about_index.htm Website of the Animal Procedures Committee]
* [http://www.archive.official-documents.co.uk/document/hoc/321/321-xa.htm Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986] , Home Office

Further reading

*PDFlink| [http://www.apc.gov.uk/reference/primates.pdf APC's recommendations on the use of primates] |708 KiB , Animal Procedures Committee.
* [http://www.animalaid.org.uk/viv/unhappy.htm "Unhappy Anniversary: Twenty years of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986"] , Animal Aid, retrieved July 15, 2006.