Animal Experiments in 2021

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Dear Bangor University,

I am writing to make an open government request for all the information to which I am entitled under the Freedom of Information Act 2000. I request to know the information for the year 2021 (01/01/2021 to 31/12/2021).

Please note where I have asked about animals, I mean animals protected under ASPA and used in scientific procedures.

Did your university conduct experiments on animals in the year 2021?

How many animals were used in experiments (species & number of each)?

How many animals were bred on the premises (species & number of each)?

What was the nature and outcome of these experiments?

What are the Home Office licence classifications for these experiments in terms of pain, lasting harm, etc. if classified (species & number of each)?

Were the animals used for medical or non-medical research?

Which departments of your university were or are engaged in such research?

How many animals were killed without being used for experiments (species & number of each)?

How many animals rehomed (species & number of each)?

Of those that were not re-homed, why not?

Does the university receive an income for performing animal research?

Does the university incur any costs by performing animal research?

Does the university receive an income for performing animal research?

Does the university incur any costs by performing animal research?

Were there more non-animal research methods used than animal methods?

If any of this information is already in the public domain, please can you direct me to it, with page references and URLs if necessary.

I understand that you are required to respond to my request within the 20 working days after you receive this letter. I would be grateful if you could confirm in writing that you have received this request.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours faithfully,
Wendy Park

Information Compliance Shared mailbox, Bangor University

Our Ref. FOI2628

 

Dear Wendy Park,

 

Thank you for your Freedom of Information request, received by email on
the 19^th October 2022.

 

We will now consider your request and you will receive the information
requested within the statutory timescale of 20 working days, as defined by
the Freedom of Information Act 2000, subject to the information not being
exempt or containing reference to a third party.

 

For your information, the Act defines a number of exemptions which may
prevent release of the information you have requested. There will be an
assessment, and if any of the exemption categories apply then the
information will not be released. You will be informed if this is the
case, including your rights of appeal.

 

If the information you requested contains reference to a third party, then
they may be consulted prior to a decision being taken on whether or not to
release the information to you. You will be informed if this is the case.

 

If you have any queries please contact us.

 

Kind regards,

Compliance Team

 

[1][IMG] Tîm Cydymffurfio Compliance Team

Llywodraethu a Chydymffurfio Governance and Compliance

Gwasanaethau Corfforaethol Corporate Services

E-bost: Email:
[2][Bangor University request email] [7][Bangor University request email]
Phone: 01248 388530
Ffôn: 01248 388530
Bangor University, Bangor,
Prifysgol Bangor, Bangor, Gwynedd, LL57 2DG
Gwynedd, LL57 2DG
Registered Charity: No. 1141565
Elusen Gofrestredig: Rhif 1141565
[8][IMG][9]@BangorUni
[3][IMG][4]@prifysgolbangor [10][IMG][11]/BangorUniversity
[5][IMG][6]/PrifysgolBangor

 

 

 

 

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Information Compliance Shared mailbox, Bangor University

Our Ref. FOI2628

 

Dear Wendy Park,

 

Further to your request for information, the University's response is
below:

 

 

Did your university conduct experiments on animals in the year 2021?

Yes.

 

How many animals were used in experiments (species & number of each)?

 

┌─────────────────────────┬───────────────────┬───┐
│ SPECIES │HO   CLASSIFICATION│NO.│
├─────────────────────────┼───────────────────┼───┤
│Centropyge tybicen │ Sub-threshold │ 6 │
├─────────────────────────┼───────────────────┼───┤
│Nemateleotris decora │ Mild │100│
├─────────────────────────┼───────────────────┼───┤
│Nemateleotris magnifica │ Mild │10 │
├─────────────────────────┼───────────────────┼───┤
│Pseudanthias squamipinnis│ Mild │41 │
├─────────────────────────┼───────────────────┼───┤
│Chrysiptera hemicynanea │ Mild │230│
├─────────────────────────┼───────────────────┼───┤
│Amblyglyphidodom aureus │ Mild │170│
├─────────────────────────┼───────────────────┼───┤
│Lutjanus Kasmira │ Mild │20 │
├─────────────────────────┼───────────────────┼───┤
│Columba livia │ Mild │20 │
├─────────────────────────┼───────────────────┼───┤
│Zamenis longissimis │ Moderate │ 9 │
└─────────────────────────┴───────────────────┴───┘

 

 

How many animals were bred on the premises (species & number of each)?

We are unable to provide an answer to this question. When fish spawn it is
impossible to count the larvae and hence we do not know the numbers of
fish bred. No Zamenis Longissimis or Columba livia were bred on the
premises.

 

 

What was the nature and outcome of these experiments?

To locate, retrieve and extract this information it is estimated to exceed
the Freedom of Information appropriate limit (£450/18hrs) as set out at
Section 12 of the Freedom of Information Act. Research teams involved
would need to be contacted and their outputs would need to be analyzed in
detail.

 

 

What are the Home Office licence classifications for these experiments in
terms of pain, lasting harm, etc. if classified (species & number of
each)?

See table above.

 

 

Were the animals used for medical or non-medical research?

Non medical.

 

 

Which departments of your university were or are engaged in such research?

The University believes that information regarding the departments
conducting research involving animals and the locations of animal research
facilities is exempt under the qualified exemption in Section 38 of the
Freedom of Information Act 2000. In reaching this decision the University
has considered the duty of care owed to individuals working in the
facilities. The health and safety of staff requires the University to
protect and maintain a safe environment which includes the security of the
sites at which they operate.

 

Section 38 is a qualified exemption, which means that the University is
obliged to consider the public interest factors for and against applying
the exemption. Bangor University recognises it’s responsibility under the
Freedom of Information Act, and the need for transparency in relation to
its operations so that the public may be assured that the University
conducts any research involving animals in an appropriate and ethical
manner.

 

However, the University believes that for this particular question
relating to departments, once disclosed, together with information that is
already in the public domain, there is a risk that the information could
fall into the hands of individuals or organisations who are opposed to the
use of animals in research. The safety of staff who were engaged in the
research could then be compromised. Having balanced both sides of the
argument the University's decision is therefore to withhold the
information.

 

 

How many animals were killed without being used for experiments (species &
number of each)?

We are unable to provide an answer for fish as explained above. We also
are unable to answer for columba as the pigeons fly free and if they fail
to return we do not know their fate.

 

 

How many animals rehomed (species & number of each)? 

All zamensis longissimis were released back into the wild. Approximately
500 fish split across the species listed above were rehomed.

 

 

Of those that were not re-homed, why not?

Required for future research.

 

 

Does the university receive an income for performing animal research?

Some research is funded by grants.

 

 

Does the university incur any costs by performing animal research?

Yes.

 

 

Were there more non-animal research methods used than animal methods?

The University adheres rigorously to the principles of the 3 Rs including
replacement and only uses protected animals for research where there are
no alternatives. Given the breadth of research across the University, then
non-animal methods far outweigh those using animals.

 

 

 

Please note that the University has a formal complaints procedure. If you
are unhappy with the service you have received in relation to your request
and wish to make a complaint or request a review of our decision you
should write to the University’s Governance & Compliance Office in the
first instance ([1][Bangor University request email]) explaining the grounds
for your complaint. In line with guidance from the Information
Commissioner’s Office, an appeal request must be submitted within two
months of the University’s final response to this Freedom of Information
Act request.

 

Kind regards,

Compliance Team

 

[2][IMG] Tîm Cydymffurfio Compliance Team

Llywodraethu a Chydymffurfio Governance and Compliance

Gwasanaethau Corfforaethol Corporate Services

E-bost: Email:
[3][Bangor University request email] [8][Bangor University request email]
Phone: 01248 388530
Ffôn: 01248 388530
Bangor University, Bangor,
Prifysgol Bangor, Bangor, Gwynedd, LL57 2DG
Gwynedd, LL57 2DG
Registered Charity: No. 1141565
Elusen Gofrestredig: Rhif 1141565
[9][IMG][10]@BangorUni
[4][IMG][5]@prifysgolbangor [11][IMG][12]/BangorUniversity
[6][IMG][7]/PrifysgolBangor

 

 

 

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