College Animal Research Licence Holder Resigns from Role after Animals in Science Committee Report

Today during a statement by Norman Baker MP, it has emerged that the College’s Establishment Licence Holder has resigned from the position with immediate effect.

This decision follows a report published last week on breaches of animal research regulation that have occurred within the last few years. The report made a recommendation that the Minister for Crime Prevention (Norman Baker MP) should “consider whether he can continue to have confidence in the current ELH [Establishment Licence Holder] at ICL retaining this role”. This was originally contested by College, who stated: “The Establishment Licence Holder (ELH), who has served in this role since May 2012, has strengthened the College’s governance and operational management of animal research. Imperial fully supports his leadership and handling of responsibilities as ELH.”

College has since released a statement saying: “Imperial has recognised that the Animals in Science Committee (ASC) report published last week offered cause for concern in its critical comments about Home Office processes, including those in relation to the College. Ministers need to be entirely confident in internal and external procedures and processes pertaining to the Home Office. It is in line with this that the ELH agreed to step down.

While the College takes a short period of reflection over the choice of a replacement before making a nomination to the Home Office, the Provost confirmed that he has been appointed as Imperial’s interim ELH.“

This is the latest consequence of the covert investigation last year by the British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection (BUAV), which produced allegations of animal abuse in College laboratories.

Michelle Thew, CEO is the BUAV stated, “We welcome this U-turn by Imperial College, following its statement last week…. In light of the seriousness of the failings and the conclusions of the government’s advisory body’s report… we believe the position of the Establishment Licence Holder to be untenable. ... We also call on the Home Office to release the full report so the public is aware of all the facts.”

We spoke to a student about the issue who said, ”It was unfortunate that the BUAV targeted Imperial as part of their generalised agenda, but is it worrying that independent investigators found so may faults in the practices (that use animal experiments) in the subsequent investigation. Having said that, I feel that more information is needed before implications can be made."