Animal Procedures Committee 4165986 153024125 2007-08-22T22:51:50Z SlimVirgin 129409 cat 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 [[Physician|medical practitioners]] or [[Veterinarian|veterinary surgeons]], or that they be qualified in a relevant [[Biology|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 [[primate]]s 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 (broadcaster)|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 (company)|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 (UK)|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&nbsp;[[Kibibyte|KiB]]<!-- application/pdf, 725084 bytes -->}}, 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. [[Category:Animal testing]] [[Category:Animal rights]] [[Category:Public bodies and task forces of the United Kingdom government]]