Northwich MP supports Ricky Gervais in dog cruelty campaign

Mike Amesbury revealed recently how he was fully behind the campaign to ban the factory farming of dogs for use in laboratory experiments, which After Life creator Gervais was leading on with the show's co-star Peter Egan.

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The pair have teamed up with Dr Lisa Cameron MP, chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Dog Welfare (APDAWG), to launch an Early Day Motion (EDM 175) calling on Government to mandate a rigorous public scientific hearing on claims animal experiments can predict responses in humans.

And now, the Weaver Vale MP has asked Kwasi Kwarteng, Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether he had considered holding such a hearing in an attempt to examine the value of animal experimentation in pursuit of scientific breakthroughs.

He said: "There is overwhelming agreement in the wider scientific community, outside animal-based researchers, that animal experiments are failing the search for human treatments and cures.

"A number of constituents have contacted me on this subject."

The exchange, which was published on the Labour politician's Facebook page showed a response from Amanda Solloway, the Parliament Under-Secretary for Mr Kwarteng.

She said: "The use of animals in research is carefully regulated and remains important in ensuring new medicines and treatments are safe.

"At the same time, the Government believes that animals should only be used when there is no practicable alternative and it actively supports and funds the development and dissemination of techniques that replace, reduce and refine the use of animals in research (the 3Rs).

"This is achieved primarily through funding for the National Centre for the 3Rs, which works nationally and internationally to drive the uptake of 3Rs technologies and ensure the advances in the 3Rs are reflected in policy, practice and regulations on animal research."