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WrittenevidencefromUnderstandingAnimalResearch ExecutiveSummary
1. Animalresearchisvitallyimportanttothedevelopmentofnewtreatmentsforarangeof seriousconditionsfromcancerandheartdiseasetoneurologicalconditionssuchas Parkinsonsdisease,Alzheimersdisease,spinalinjuryetc.However,itiscontroversialand whilemostofthepublicaresupportive,itcanprovokestrongfeelingsamongthosewho opposeit.Mostofthoseopposedtoanimalresearchengageinpassionatedebateand sometimesemployradicalpropaganda,butcampaignwithinthelaw.However,asmall minorityofradicalanimalrightsextremistsarepreparedtouseintimidationoroutright violencetofurthertheircause.Thishasrangedfromthreatstoarsonattacksandletter bombs. 1 2. Theextremisttacticoftargetingorganisationsinvolvedinanimalresearchbyattackingthe individualsthatworkforthemorthecompaniesthatsupplythem,datesfromthemid90s. Thethreattomedicalresearchbecamesoseriousthat10yearslatertheUKgovernment developedastrategyanddrewupspecificlawstocrackdownonextremistactivityagainst animalresearch.FreedomofInformationrequestshavebeenusedasatacticbyanimal rightsgroupsacrosstheworldtoobtaininformationaboutanimalresearch. 3. TheHomeOfficeregulatesanimalresearchbyissuinglicences.Aprojectlicencecontains significantdetailonintellectualproperty,informationabouttheindividualscientists conductingtheresearchandthelocationoftheestablishmentswhereanimalresearchis conducted.Itwasneverintendedtobeplacedinthepublicdomain.Obtainingcopiesof projectlicencesisakeytargetforthosewhoopposeanimalresearch. 4. Webelievethatmoreinformationaboutanimalresearchshouldproactivelybemade availabletothepublic,whilesafeguardinginformationwhichcouldbeusedbyextremiststo targetindividualsandinstitutions.

Recommendations
5. WerecommendthatthefollowinginformationshouldbeexemptfromtheFreedomof InformationActandthatthisshouldapplytoallpublicbodies: thenamesandaddressesofindividualsandestablishmentsinvolvedinanimalresearch, tohelpprotectthemfromthepossibilityofattackbyextremists; informationprovidedtotheHomeOfficeinconfidenceforthepurposesofapplyingfor aProjectLicence. 6. WealsoproposethattheHomeOfficeshouldmorecloselydefinewhichsectionsofthe ProjectLicenceapplicationformwillcontainconfidentialinformationandhencebeexcluded frompublicationthroughFreedomofInformationrequests.Thisadvicewillalsoclearly definetheinformationwhichmaybeplacedinthepublicdomain.

http://www.understandinganimalresearch.org.uk/policy_issues/animal_rights_extremism

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AboutUnderstandingAnimalResearch
7. UnderstandingAnimalResearchisamembershiporganisationwithover110member organisationsandmanymoreindividualsupporters.Organisationalmembersaredrawn fromvarioussectorsincludingacademic,pharmaceutical,charities,researchfunders, professionalandlearnedsocieties,andtradesunions. 8. Weaimtoachievebroadunderstandingandacceptanceofthehumaneuseofanimalsin biomedicalresearchintheUK,toadvancescienceandmedicine.Theinformationprovided byUnderstandingAnimalResearchisbasedonthoroughresearchandunderstandingofthe facts,historicalandscientific. 9. UnderstandingAnimalResearchseekstoengagewithandinformmanysectorstobring aboutitsvision.Keystakeholdersincludemembersofthepublic,themedia,policymakers, schoolsandthescientificresearchcommunity.

Introduction
10. WewishtoaddressthespecificapplicationoftheFreedomofInformationAct(FOIA)to animalresearchconductedinUKUniversitiesandotherpublicbodies.Weareconcerned thatFOIAmaybeusedbyanimalrightsextremiststoobtaininformationwhichcanbeused totargetindividualsandinstitutionsinvolvedinanimalresearch.Wealsohaveconcerns aboutthereleaseofintellectualproperty,whichweknowotherrespondentsareaddressing. Inthisresponse,wewilldealprincipallywiththesafetyconcerns.

Regulationofanimalresearch
11. TherehavebeenspecialcontrolsontheuseoflaboratoryanimalsintheUKsince1876. Thesewererevisedandextendedin1986astheAnimals(ScientificProcedures)Act(ASPA). Thislawsafeguardslaboratoryanimalwelfarewhileallowingimportantmedicalresearchto continue.Thesecontrolsarewidelyregardedasthetightestintheworld. 12. CentraltoASPAisacostbenefitassessmentwhichmustbeappliedbeforeanyresearch projectinvolvinganimalscangoahead.Thusthepotentialcosts,intermsofanimal suffering,mustbeweighedagainstthepotentialbenefitsoftheresearch. 13. Threeseparatetypesoflicencearerequiredforanimalresearchortesting.TheActsaysthat animalprocedurescanonly: takeplaceinresearchinstitutesorcompanieswhichhaveappropriateanimal accommodationandveterinaryfacilities,andhavebeengrantedacertificateof designation bepartofanapprovedresearchortestingprogrammewhichhasbeengivenaproject licence becarriedoutbypeoplewithsufficienttraining,skillsandexperienceasshownintheir personallicence 14. Theprojectlicenceisadetaileddocumentoftenrunningtohundredsofpages.Itoutlinesa planofworkcoveringuptosixyearsfromthetimeofwriting.Theinformationrequiredina projectlicenceapplicationenablestheHomeOfficetodecidewhethertograntaproject SubmissionfromUnderstandingAnimalResearchtotheJusticeSelectCommitteePostLegislative ScrutinyoftheFreedomofInformationAct 2

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licence.Itwillusuallycontainsignificantamountsofdetailonintellectualproperty, informationabouttheindividualscientistsconductingtheresearchandthelocationofthe establishmentswhereanimalresearchisconducted.Itwasneverintendedtobeplacedin thepublicdomain. 15. Inpractice,anumberofoptionsincludedintheprojectlicencemayneverbeused.Thisis becauseitisdifficulttoreliablypredictthedetailedoperationoftheprojectseveralyears ahead.Forexample,theearlyoutcomesoftheprojectwillaffectplansforlaterstages;and thepublicationofrelevantoroverlappingresultsbyotherresearchgroupscanoccuratany timeandaffecttheplannedproject.Thelicenceoftencontainsoptionsthatdependonthe progressoftheprogrammeofwork,andtheresearcherwillchoosewhichoptionstouseas theresearchprogrammebuilds.Thereforeasignificantbutunpredictableproportionof whatisintheapplicationwillneverhappenunderthatlicence. 16. ThereiscurrentlyaprocesswherebyapplicationsforProjectLicencesarefirstdiscussedin EthicalReviewProcessmeetings.Thisprocessultimatelyconcernsthesecuringofmaximum welfarestandardswhileachievingoptimalscientificoutcomesinmedicalresearchusing animals.Thefreeandfrankexchangeofideaswillbeunderminedifthefullminutesof thesemeetingsarepublishedfollowingFOIrequestsandthemembersofthecommittee couldbetargetediftheiridentitieswereknown. 17. Akeypartoftheapplicationistheinclusionofaprojectabstract.Theprojectabstractis designedtobepublishedontheHomeOfficewebsiteandiswrittenusinglayterms.It summarisestheinformationintheprojectlicencewithoutcontainingthepersonal informationorinformationaboutthelocationofthework.Thisispartofthemovetowards greateropennessandisanexpectationofallprojectlicences.

Safeguardinginformation
18. IthasbeenatenetofboththeexistingAnimals(ScientificProcedures)Act1986(ASPA)and theEuropeanDirective2010/63/EU,whichisintheprocessofbeingtransposedintoUK legislation,thatcertaininformationmustbesafeguardedbecauseofthepossibilityof extremistattacksandtopreventthelossofintellectualproperty.Thisiswordedindifferent waysindifferentregulationsbutessentiallytheadviceisthesame. 19. TheGuidanceontheOperationofASPA 2 explainsthatthepurposeofSection24oftheAct, whichmakesitanoffenceforthosewithresponsibilitiesunderASPAtodiscloseinformation giveninconfidence,istosafeguard: thenamesandaddressesofindividualsandestablishments,tohelpprotectthemfromthe possibilityofattackbyextremists;and detailedinformationthatmustbeprovidedinlicenceapplications(sothatthecost/benefit assessmentcanbecarriedoutandthescopeforusingalternativesreviewed)whichmight becommerciallysensitiveorintellectuallyvaluable.

http://tna.europarchive.org/20100413151426/http://www.archive.official documents.co.uk/document/hoc/321/321.htm

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20. TheEuropeanDirective2010/63/EU 3 statesthatpublishedinformationshouldnotviolate proprietaryrightsorexposeconfidentialinformationandthatpublisheddetailsshouldnot breachtheanonymityoftheusers.

Thethreatfromextremists
21. Thereisevidencethattheinternationalthreattoanimalresearchfromextremistsisagain growing,andcollaborationbetweenUKandinternationalanimalrightsgroupsisalso increasing.Theprotectionofindividualsandorganisationsinvolvedinanimalresearch,both entirelywithintheUKandaspartofinternationalcollaborations,isstillimportantand remainspartofthepurposeofcurrentlegislationregulatinganimalresearch. 22. ThethreatfromanimalrightsextremismintheUKhasdiminishedsince2005buthasnot goneawayentirely.InthepastyeartherehasbeenonearsonattackintheUK 4 anda numberofarsonattacksthroughoutEurope 5 aimedattheemployeesoforganisations involvedinanimalresearch.ThereisgrowingevidencethatEuropeananimalrightsgroups areexchanginginformationwitheachotherandworkingtogether. 23. IntheUSA,animalrightsgroupshavealsoresortedtoillegalactsandhavebeentargeting bothuniversitystaffandindividualstudents.Theyhavepublishednames,addressesand contactdetailsofindividualswiththeclearimplicationthatthesepeopleshouldbetargeted byextremists.Onegroup,NegotiationisOver(NIO)hasevenresortedtotargetingthe childrenandgrandchildrenofresearchersandhasalsoofferedrewardsforinformation aboutindividualstudentsstudyingoncoursesinvolvinganimalresearch.Thisorganisationis usingUSfreedomofinformationlawstogaintheinformationtheyneedtointimidate researchers.ThereisgrowingevidencethatUKbasedanimalrightsgroupshavedeveloped linkswithNIOandthatthegroupsaresharinginformation.

Casestudy
24. In2008,NewcastleUniversityreceivedanFOIrequestforprojectlicencesrelatingtospecific projectsinaparticularlysensitivearea:theuseofnonhumanprimatesinresearch.The requestwasinitiallyrefusedusingthreeexemptions:healthandsafety(endangeringthe safetyofanindividual),commercialinterestsandprohibitionsondisclosure.Theprohibition ondisclosurerelatedtothelicenceshavingbeenissuedbytheHomeOfficeunderASPA. ThiswasacceptedbytheInformationCommissionerwhenNewcastlesoriginaldecisionwas challenged,butoverruledbytheInformationTribunalonappealin2011.Newcastle UniversityhasnowreleasedtheinformationunderFOI.Inadditiontotheriskwhichthe universitybelievesthisposestoindividualmembersofstaff,thisdecisionalsoplacesstaffat riskofprosecutionfordisclosingtheinformationbecauseinthisinstanceFOIisinconflict withASPASection24.

3 4

http://eurlex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=OJ:L:2010:276:0033:0079:En:PDF http://www.thisislincolnshire.co.uk/AnimalrightsgroupbombattackLincolnshirefarm/story12927259 detail/story.html 5 Referencesavailableonrequest

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25. ThisdecisionbytheInformationTribunalhasledtosimilarrequestsbeingreceivedbya numberofotherUniversitiesandpublicbodies.

BalancingFreedomofInformationandprotectionofresearchers
26. ThereisaneedtobalancethepublicinterestinhowandwhyUKresearchinvolvinganimals isundertaken,againsttheprotectionofresearchersfromthepossibilityofattackby extremists.Itisclearlynotinthepublicinteresttoidentifyinstitutionsorindividualswhen thesharingofthisinformationresultsinputtingthematriskofintimidationorharassment. Intimidationandharassmentfromanimalrightsextremistscouldleadtoaddedfearamong institutions,avoidanceofcontroversialresearch,decreasedopennessanddrivingsuchwork tolessregulatedcountries. 27. Themainaimofanimalrightsgroupsistotrytopreventanimalresearchfromtakingplace. Informationonprojectsthatareeitherinprogressorhavenotyetbeenundertakenis thereforelikelytobeafocusforprotestorillegalactivity.Experienceshowsthatdetailsof completedworkcansafelybeplacedinthepublicdomain. 28. Allpartiesareagreedthatitisdesirabletohavemoreopennessandtransparencyaboutthe useofanimalsinresearch.Someyearsago,UnderstandingAnimalResearchpublisheda researchersguidetocommunicatingaboutanimalresearch 6 inanattempttoencourage moreopenness,andhasanactiveopennessprogrammeworkingwiththeacademicsector. Theprogrammeandtheguideencourageuniversities,asafirststep,topublishmaterial abouttheiranimalresearchontheirwebsites.Manyuniversitieshavepublishedtheir policiesaboutanimalresearchandsomegomuchfurther. 7 Thisproactiveopenness providesimportantinformationaboutanimalresearchundertakenbyaUniversitywhile protectinginformationwhichcouldbeusedbyextremists.

Conclusions
29. Scientistsandotherstaffworkinginanimalresearchinstitutionsmustbeprotectedfrom harassment,intimidationorworse.Theworkthattheyconductisvitallyimportanttothe developmentofnewtreatmentsforarangeofseriousconditionsfromcancerandheart diseasetoneurologicalconditionssuchasParkinsonsdisease,Alzheimersdisease,spinal injuryetc. 30. UKandEuropeanlegislationrecognisesthethreatfromextremistsandattemptstobuild safeguardsintothelegislationtomitigatethethreat.Atthesametime,legislation recognisesthattheremaybeimportantintellectualpropertyandcommercialinterests associatedwiththeresearchundertakenbythesescientists.ASPAlegislationcontainsa specificsectiontoprotecttheconfidentialityofthedetailedinformationrequiredtoassess whetheraprojectlicenceshouldbegranted.Thisinformationincludespersonalinformation abouttheapplicant,informationaboutthelocationofanimalresearchfacilitiesand
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http://www.understandinganimalresearch.org.uk/resources/document_library/download_document/?docum ent_id=16 7 Twocurrentexamplesofgoodpracticeare: http://www.ox.ac.uk/animal_research/index.html http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/animalresearch/index.aspx

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intellectualproperty.Section24ofASPAwasdesignedtoprotectthisinformationfrom publication. 31. However,theFreedomofInformationActmakesitpossibletoobtainthesameinformation fromotherpublicbodiesthatASPASection24wasdesignedtokeepconfidential.Releaseof thisinformationmayresultinextremisttargetingofindividualsandinstitutions. January2012

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AppendixOneProjectLicence
TheProjectLicenceisadetailedformoftenrunningtohundredsofpages.Itoutlinesavarietyof informationandisaplanofworkcoveringuptosixyearsfromthetimeofwriting.Thecurrent projectlicenceapplicationcontainssevendistinctsections: A. B. C. D. E. F. G. PROJECTLICENCEHOLDER PLACE(S) SCIENTIFICBACKGROUND PLANOFWORK PROTOCOLS DECLARATIONS PROJECTABSTRACT

SectionAProjectLicenceHolder
Personalinformationaboutthepersonapplyingforthelicencewhohasoverallresponsibilityforthe programmeofwork.Thisincludesname,address,dateofbirth,knowledge,skillsandexperience, etc.

SectionBPlace
Detailsofwheretheanimalprocedureswillbeconducted.

SectionCScientificbackground
Containsthescientificjustificationfortheproject.Itincludesanassessmentweighingupthe possibleadverseeffectsontheanimalstobeusedintheprogrammeagainstthepotentialbenefit resultingfromtheworkspecifiedinthelicence.Thisissupportedbyanumberofpublishedand/or unpublishedreferences. Thereisconsiderableintellectualpropertyinthissectionofthelicence.Thereisalsomuch informationthatispersonaltotheapplicant(egreferencestopublishedandunpublishedwork)that wouldleadtoreadyidentification.

SectionDPlanofwork
Theplanofworkoutlineshowtheobjectivesoftheresearchwillbeachieved. Italsodescribeshowtheprogrammeofworkcannotbeachievedsatisfactorilybyanyother practicablemethodnotentailingtheuseofanimals.Itdetailshowtheproposedproceduresusethe minimumnumberofanimals;involveanimalswiththelowestdegreeofneurophysiological sensitivity;causetheleastpain,suffering,distressorlastingharm:andaremostlikelytoproduce satisfactoryresults. SubmissionfromUnderstandingAnimalResearchtotheJusticeSelectCommitteePostLegislative ScrutinyoftheFreedomofInformationAct 7

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Iftheworkistoincludecats,dogs,primatesandequidae,theresearchermustjustifytheuseof thesespecies.Similarly,ifitinvolvesendangeredspeciesoranimalstakenfromthewild,asimilar justificationmustbegiven.

SectionEProtocols
Inthissection,theresearcherdescribestheprocedureswhichwillbeappliedtotheanimal(s)over theperiodcoveredbythelicence,possibleadverseeffectsofeachprocedureandhowthese adverseeffectswillbemanagediftheyoccur.Inpractice,theadverseeffectsmaybeextremely unlikelybuttheprotocolmustdemonstratethatresearchersarepreparedforanyeventuality,no matterhowunlikely,andknowhowtodealwithit. Theprotocolssectionmayruntodozensofseparateprotocols,especiallyifthelicencecoversa programmeofworkoverseveralyears.Thissectionmaybe100pagesinlengthorlonger,and formsanimportantpartoftheintellectualpropertyoftheresearcher. Inpractice,anumberofprotocolsmayneverbeused.Thisisbecauseitisdifficulttoreliablypredict thedetailedoperationoftheprojectseveralyearsahead.Forexample,theearlyoutcomesofthe projectwillaffectplansforlaterstages;andthepublicationofrelevantoroverlappingresultsby otherresearchgroupscanoccuratanytimeandaffecttheplannedproject.Thelicenceoften containsoptionsthatdependontheprogressoftheprogrammeofwork,andtheresearcherwill choosewhichoptionstouseastheresearchprogrammebuilds.Thereforeasignificantbut unpredictableproportionofwhatisintheapplicationwillneverhappenunderthatlicence.Thisis reflectedintheHomeOfficesannualstatisticsinwhichsomeProjectLicenceholdersmakezero returns.Ifpublishedinfull,theprotocolswouldnotgiveanaccuratepictureoftheresearch programme. Theprotocolswhicharenotactuallyusedintheprogrammemayformanimportantpartofthe intellectualpropertyoftheresearcherandcanbeusedinlaterresearchprogrammes.

SectionFDeclarations
Thisissignedbyvariousmembersoftheresearchteamtodeclarethattheinformationinthe applicationisaccurate,etc.

SectionGProjectabstract
TheprojectabstractisdesignedtobepublishedontheHomeOfficewebsiteandiswrittenusinglay terms.Itsummarisestheinformationintheprojectlicencewithoutcontainingthepersonal informationorinformationaboutthelocationofthework.TheHomeOfficeguidancesaysthatit shouldUselaytermsandavoidconfidentialmaterialoranythingthatwouldidentifyyouoryour placeofwork.Thisispartofthemovetowardsgreateropennessandisanexpectationofall projectlicences.Thisistheonlypartoftheprojectlicencethatisintendedforpublicdissemination.

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