Information provided in this document will be used solely to inform the Animals in Science Committee (ASC)’s advice. Responses will be handled in confidence and will not be disclosed in a manner that could identify individual respondents or establishments.
Access to identifiable information will be restricted to the ASC Secretariat only. Responses will be aggregated and anonymised prior to analysis and reporting, and any published findings will not include identifiable details.
Personal or identifying information accessible by the ASC Secretariat will be deleted following the report publication, with only anonymised data securely retained for a defined period in line with standard Home Office data handling procedures.
An Animal Welfare and Ethical Review Body (AWERB) is a committee required by law for UK research organisations that use animals in regulated procedures. Its role is to make sure that the use of animals in outlined projects is justified, and that the principles of replacement, reduction and refinement (the 3Rs) are applied to minimise the numbers used and the harms experienced. The membership includes a mix of scientific staff, Named Persons (e.g. named Veterinary Surgeon), animal care staff, lay and/or independent members to bring a broad range of perspectives to decision‑making.
The effective functioning of the AWERBs is crucial to the effective delivery of an establishments’ responsibilities under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 (ASPA).
The ASC has been commissioned to provide advice to the Home Office Minister on strengthening the functioning of AWERBs to inform the expected standards of practice for AWERBs established within the regulated sector, Home Office guidance and effective audit practices by the Regulator.
To inform our work, the ASC’s AWERB Subgroup would be grateful if you could provide us with feedback to the following questions.
Please complete the survey by 5 August 2026.
Any information you can provide would be greatly appreciated, and please note that you do not have to answer all the questions if they are not relevant to you.