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Following is a question by the Hon Christine Loh and a written reply by the Secretary for Health and Welfare, Dr E K Yeoh, in the Legislative Council today (May 17):

Question :

Will the Government inform this Council:

(a) of the number and percentage of licensed researchers who filed returns under section 12 of the Animals (Control of Experiments) Ordinance (Cap. 340) last year;

(b) of the measures it has taken to ensure compliance with sections 11 and 12 of the Ordinance;

(c) whether it has assessed if the provisions of the Ordinance:

(i) are still in line with the "best practices" for carrying out experiments on animals in other jurisdictions; and

(ii) are impediments to the recognition by the international scientific community of the results of researches conducted in Hong Kong; and

(d) given that the Ordinance was enacted nearly 40 years ago and with the rapid advances in scientific research methods in the past decades, whether it will consider enacting a new piece of legislation for regulating experiments on animals; if not, of the reasons for that?

Reply :

Madam President,

(a) In 1999, there were 733 researchers licensed under the Animals (Control of Experiments) Ordinance to conduct experiments on living vertebrate animals. All of them have submitted their returns, except one researcher who has left his employment and another who has left Hong Kong.

(b) At the time of issue of the licences, licensees are reminded in writing of their duty to keep records and submit returns in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Animals (Control of Experiments) Ordinance. The Department of Health has in place a system to chase up timely submission of annual returns. Reminders are sent to those who fail to submit returns by the stipulated date. Enforcement action may be taken for non-complying licensees.

(c) (i) The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department, advised by its Animal Welfare Advisory Group and the Department of Health, is conducting a review of the local and overseas regulatory systems for control of using living animals for experiments.

(ii) The Department of Health, from its contact with licensees, is not aware that the current provisions in the Animals (Control of Experiments) Ordinance has posed an impediment to the recognition by the international scientific community of the results of the relevant researches conducted in Hong Kong.

(d) The Administration reviews the Ordinance regularly in light of technological advances, international practices and changing community aspirations to ensure that the Ordinance achieves its objectives effectively. Subject to the findings of the review mentioned in part (c), we would consider introducing appropriate changes where necessary.

End/Wednesday, May 17, 2000

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