Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986

Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Long titleAn Act to make new provision for the protection of animals used for experimental or other scientific purposes.
Citation1986 c. 14
Territorial extent England and Wales; Scotland; Northern Ireland
Dates
Royal assent20 May 1986
Commencement1 January 1987 (part) [1]
1 January 1990 (full)
Status: Amended
Text of statute as originally enacted
Revised text of statute as amended

The Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986, sometimes referred to as ASPA, is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom (1986 c. 14) passed in 1986, which regulates the use of animals used for research in the UK. The Act permits studies to be conducted using animals for procedures such as breeding genetically modified animals, medical and veterinary advances, education, environmental toxicology and includes procedures requiring surgery, if certain criteria are met.[2] Revised legislation came into force on 1 January 2013. The original act related to the 1986 EU Directive 86/609/EEC [3] which was updated and replaced by EU Directive 2010/63/EU[4]

In 2002, a Government select committee inquiry described the Act as the "...tightest system of regulation in the world" in relation to the regulation of using animals for research.[5]

  1. ^ Statistics of Scientific Procedures on Living Animals – Great Britain 2005 (PDF). Home Office. 15 August 2023. ISBN 978-0-10-168772-0 – via BBC News.
  2. ^ "Draft Guidance on the Operation of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 (as amended)" (PDF). Home Office (UK). 2013. Retrieved 18 July 2013.
  3. ^ Directive 86/609/EEC of 24 November 1986 on the approximation of laws, regulations and administrative provisions of the Member States regarding the protection of animals used for experimental and other scientific purposes
  4. ^ Directive 2010/63/EU of 22 September 2010 on the protection of animals used for scientific purposes
  5. ^ "Select Committee on Animals In Scientific Procedures Report". Home Office (UK), The Stationery Office. 2002. Retrieved 30 July 2013.