Member

However, as my colleague Luke Taylor MP noted in the House of Commons, while we support the legal structure, stronger and more explicit action from the Government is needed, in our view, to improve animal welfare within that framework. This instrument maintains the existing safeguards, including the three Rs of replacement, reduction and refinement—arguments on replacement were very well made by the noble Baroness, Lady Redfern. The instrument is essentially a restatement of the status quo, as we understand it; we believe that the Government should be more ambitious. Our long-term objective remains the progressive elimination of scientific procedures that cause animals pain, suffering or distress where and when viable alternatives exist.