SNP President and Euro-MP Ian Hudghton is backing a Europe wide ban on cruel and unnecessary scientific experiments on certain types of animals.

The European Commission is in the process of reviewing legislation in this area which has not been significantly updated for over twenty years. Now a group of MEPs has put forward a proposal that would outlaw the use of primates in scientific experiments.

They want to see an end to the use of apes and wild caught monkeys in experiments and establish a timetable for replacing the use of all primates in scientific experiments. The European Parliament has now adopted a written declaration - to which Mr Hudghton is a signatory - calling for a ban on using primates in scientific testing. 

Mr Hudghton commented:

"Over 10,000 primates are used in scientific experiments in the EU every year and this includes species which are in danger of extinction. Many of these experiments are cruel and unnecessary and could be replaced by other more modern means of testing.

"We are seeking an eventual ban on scientific tests on primates - animals who share around 90% of their DNA with humans and who suffer greatly from what they endure in captivity.

"We need to replace these cruel testing methods with a more humane approach in the interests of science and of animal welfare."

Note

MEPs adopted a written declaration calling on the EU to use the revision process of Directive 86/609/EC to speed up the ending of scientific experiments on primates. The declaration will be forwarded to the European Commission and Members States for a response.