UK Act of Parliament 1986 United Kingdom

ASPA 1986

An Act to make new provision for the protection of animals used for experimental or other scientific purposes.

Read the Act on legislation.gov.uk (opens in a new tab)
Enforced by
Home Office
Status
Amended (in force with amendments)
Penalty ceiling
Imprisonment 2 of 56 obligations carry up to 2 years imprisonment. 2 carry different penalties and 52 have no criminal penalty — flagged in the list below.

Does it bind you?

Business-side roles with duties under this instrument.

Any Person18 Licence Holder14 Employee1

Plus 23 duties on the regulator, Crown ministers and public bodies — folded into the section list below.

Other Acts binding the same actors

If a role above is yours, these are the other instruments that most often bind it.

Any Person — also bound by 2340 other Acts
Licence Holder — also bound by 225 other Acts
Employee — also bound by 189 other Acts

What it requires

Sections creating concrete business duties or carrying penalties, grouped as the instrument is structured. Titles link to the source text — blue means you’re leaving for legislation.gov.uk.

s.002 Prohibition of unlicensed undertakings Regulated
  • You must not carry out regulated procedures on protected animals without a licenceAny Person
s.003 Prohibition of unlicensed procedures. (opens in a new tab) Regulated
  • Do not personally apply regulated procedures to animals unless licensedAny Person
s.004 Personal licences. (opens in a new tab) Regulated
  • Secure a personal licence for staff who apply regulated animal proceduresEmployee
s.005 Determining an application: evaluation of the programme of work Regulated
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Secretary of State must evaluate the programme of work for a project licenceCrown / Minister / Government department
s.005 Determining an application: further provision Regulated
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Secretary of State must verify licence conditions before grantingCrown / Minister / Government department
s.005 Granting a project licence Regulated
  • Prepare and maintain a compliant project licenceAny Person
s.005 Documents to be kept by Secretary of State Regulated
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Crown must keep licence documents for 3 yearsCrown / Minister / Government department
s.008 Fees. (opens in a new tab) Regulated
  • Pay periodic section 2C licence fees to the Secretary of StateLicence Holder
s.010 Conditions (opens in a new tab) Regulated
  • Comply with licence conditions, including assistant usage rulesLicence Holder
s.013 Suspension in cases of urgency. (opens in a new tab) Regulated
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Secretary of State must suspend licences for animal welfareCrown / Minister / Government department
s.013 Duty to ensure welfare of animals not adversely affected by revocation or suspension Regulated
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Secretary of State must protect animal welfare when licences are revokedCrown / Minister / Government department
s.014 Re-use of protected animals (opens in a new tab) Regulated
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Secretary of State must grant consent to re‑use protected animalsCrown / Minister / Government department
s.015 Killing animals at conclusion of regulated procedures. (opens in a new tab) Regulated
  • Ensure immediate killing of protected animals at the end of a series of regulated proceduresAny Person
s.016 Prohibition of public displays. (opens in a new tab) Regulated
  • Do NOT exhibit regulated animal procedures to the public or live TVAny Person
s.017 Neuromuscular blocking agents (opens in a new tab) Regulated
  • Use neuromuscular blocking agents only if licensed and with proper anaesthesiaAny Person
s.017 Setting free and re-homing protected animals Regulated
  • Licence holders must not set free or re‑home protected animals without consent or proceduresAny Person
s.018 Inspectors. (opens in a new tab) Regulated
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Inspectors must advise, inspect and report on licence holdersStatutory regulator
s.020 Functions of the Committee (opens in a new tab) Regulated
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Committee must advise on acquisition, breeding, accommodation, care and use of protected animalsStatutory regulator
s.020 Sharing of organs and tissues Regulated
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Secretary of State must set up programmes for shared animal tissuesCrown / Minister / Government department
s.021 Statistics and reporting Regulated
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Crown must publish annual statistics on protected animal useCrown / Minister / Government department
s.022 Penalties for contraventions. (opens in a new tab) Imprisonment
  • Fail to conduct regulated procedures on protected animalsAny Person
s.023 False statements. (opens in a new tab) Imprisonment
  • Provide false or misleading info to obtain a licenceAny Person
s.024 Protection of confidential information. (opens in a new tab) Imprisonment
  • Disclose confidential animal research informationAny Person
s.025 Powers of entry. (opens in a new tab) Imprisonment
  • Obstruct officers or provide false identity during investigationsAny Person
25 other provisions — procedural and definitional
s.001 Protected animals. (opens in a new tab)
s.002 Regulated procedures. (opens in a new tab)
s.002 Principles of replacement, reduction and refinement
s.002 Licensing of undertakings
s.005 Project licences: general (opens in a new tab)
s.005 Application for a project licence
s.005 Determining an application: classification of the severity of the procedure
s.005 Duration of a project licence and further evaluation etc
s.005 Retrospective assessment of programme of work
s.006 Scientific procedure establishments. (opens in a new tab)
s.007 Breeding and supplying establishments. (opens in a new tab)
s.009 Consultation. (opens in a new tab)
s.011 Failure to comply with licence conditions etc (opens in a new tab)
s.012 Right to make representations. (opens in a new tab)
s.015 Manner in which protected animals are to be killed
s.019 The Committee for the Protection of Animals Used for Scientific Purposes (opens in a new tab)
s.020 Alternative strategies
s.021 Guidance and codes of practice. (opens in a new tab)
s.026 Prosecutions. (opens in a new tab)
s.027 Repeal, consequential amendments and transitional provisions. (opens in a new tab)
s.028 Orders. (opens in a new tab)
s.029 Application to Northern Ireland. (opens in a new tab)
s.030 Short title, interpretation and commencement. (opens in a new tab)
s.s.table a A. Methods for animals other than foetal, larval and...
s.s.table b B. Methods for foetal, larval and embryonic forms Animals...
Schedules

Schedules

32 of 98 shown
s.sch002b (1) A project licence that would authorise the application of... Regulated
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Secretary of State must check conditions before granting licences for endangered primate useCrown / Minister / Government department
s.sch002b (1) A project licence that would authorise the application of... Regulated
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Secretary of State must verify licence conditions before granting primate research licencesCrown / Minister / Government department
s.sch002b (1) A project licence that would authorise the application of... Regulated
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Secretary of State must verify licence conditions for endangered animalsCrown / Minister / Government department
s.sch002b (1) A project licence that would authorise the application of... Regulated
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Secretary of State must verify Condition 9 before issuing licencesCrown / Minister / Government department
s.sch002c A section 2C licence must include a condition requiring the... Regulated
  • Ensure licensed animal activities follow the 3Rs principlesAny Person
s.sch002c (1) A section 2C licence must include conditions requiring the... Regulated
  • Mark all unmarked dogs, cats and primates under your licenceLicence Holder
s.sch002c (1) A section 2C licence must include such conditions relating... Regulated
  • Licence holders must include animal care conditions in Section 2C licencesLicence Holder
s.sch002c A section 2C licence must include conditions requiring the holder... Regulated
  • Assist inspectors during visits to your licensed premisesAny Person
s.sch002c A personal licence must include a condition requiring the holder... Regulated
  • Follow 3Rs principles when working under a personal licenceAny Person
s.sch002c A personal licence must include— (a) a condition to the... Regulated
  • Prevent and minimise severe pain, suffering and distress in animal proceduresLicence Holder
s.sch002c (1) A personal licence must include a condition to the... Regulated
  • Apply regulated animal procedures humanely under licence conditionsLicence Holder
s.sch002c A personal licence must include conditions requiring the holder to... Regulated
  • Assist inspectors during site visitsAny Person
s.sch002c A project licence must include a condition requiring the holder... Regulated
  • Do not use animal procedures where a non-animal alternative existsAny Person
s.sch002c (1) A project licence must include a condition requiring the... Regulated
  • Ensure procedures for animal research meet the ASPA 1986 moral requirementsLicence Holder
s.sch002c A project licence must include such conditions as the Secretary... Regulated
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Secretary of State must include supervision conditions in project licencesCrown / Minister / Government department
s.sch002c (1) A section 2C licence must include conditions requiring the... Regulated
  • Maintain a register and training conditions for protected animal killingLicence Holder
s.sch002c A project licence must include such conditions as the Secretary... Regulated
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Secretary of State must include licence conditions preventing severe animal sufferingCrown / Minister / Government department
s.sch002c A project licence must include such conditions as the Secretary... Regulated
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Secretary of State must licence conditions to stop unnecessary animal sufferingCrown / Minister / Government department
s.sch002c A project licence must include such conditions as the Secretary... Regulated
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Secretary of State must impose humane endpoint conditions on project licencesCrown / Minister / Government department
s.sch002c (1) A project licence must include a condition requiring the... Regulated
  • Licence holder must classify procedure severityLicence Holder
s.sch002c (1) A project licence must include such conditions as the... Regulated
  • Ensure animals are killed at the end of regulated procedures unless a vet approvesLicence Holder
s.sch002c (1) Subject to sub-paragraph (3), a project licence must include—... Regulated
  • Prohibit regulated procedures on stray, feral, wild and restricted animalsLicence Holder
s.sch002c (1) A project licence must include such conditions as the... Regulated
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Crown must set licence conditions to prevent unnecessary animal proceduresCrown / Minister / Government department
s.sch002c A project licence must include conditions requiring the holder to... Regulated
  • Give necessary assistance to inspectors during visitsLicence Holder
s.sch002c A project licence must include a condition to the effect... Regulated
  • Rectify licence condition breaches and record steps takenAny Person
s.sch002c A section 2C licence must include such conditions as the... Regulated
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Secretary of State must include notification conditions in section 2C licencesCrown / Minister / Government department
s.sch002c (1) A section 2C licence must include such conditions as... Regulated
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Secretary of State must include licence conditions ensuring suitable installationsCrown / Minister / Government department
s.sch002c A section 2C licence must include such conditions as the... Regulated
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Secretary of State must include staff care conditions in section 2C licencesCrown / Minister / Government department
s.sch002c (1) A section 2C licence must include a condition requiring... Regulated
  • Set up and run an Animal Welfare & Ethical Review Body and keep 3‑year recordsLicence Holder
s.sch002c A section 2C licence which authorises the holder to carry... Regulated
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • SoS must require primate breeding strategy in licence conditionsCrown / Minister / Government department
s.sch002c A section 2C licence must include conditions requiring the holder—... Regulated
  • Keep and retain animal breeding/supply records for at least 5 yearsAny Person
s.sch002c (1) A section 2C licence must include conditions requiring the... Regulated
  • Keep an individual history file for dogs, cats and primatesLicence Holder
66 other schedules
s.sch001 . . . . . . . . . ....
s.sch001 (1) A requirement in Table A for prior use of...
s.sch002a All experiments shall be carried out under general or local...
s.sch002a Paragraph 1 above does not apply when:
s.sch002a If anaesthesia is not possible, analgesics or other appropriate methods...
s.sch002a Provided such action is compatible with the object of the...
s.sch002aa This Schedule contains descriptions of procedures assigned to a particular...
s.sch002aa The administration of a substance where— (a) the substance has...
s.sch002aa The induction of tumours, or spontaneous tumours, that cause no...
s.sch002aa The breeding of a genetically altered animal, which is expected...
s.sch002aa The feeding of a modified diet that does not meet...
s.sch002aa Restraint in metabolic cages for less than 24 hours.
s.sch002aa A study involving— (a) short-term deprivation of a social partner,...
s.sch002aa Experimental models which expose an animal to noxious stimuli which—...
s.sch002aa A repetition or combination of any of the following procedures,...
s.sch002aa The repeated application of test substances which produce moderate clinical...
s.sch002aa The withdrawal of blood samples from a conscious animal where—...
s.sch002aa Part 2 of this Schedule contains a list of procedures...
s.sch002aa An acute dose-range finding study, or chronic toxicity or carcinogenicity...
s.sch002aa Surgery under general anaesthesia and appropriate analgesia, associated with post...
s.sch002aa Models of induction of tumours, or spontaneous tumours, that are...
s.sch002aa Irradiation or chemotherapy with— (a) a sublethal dose, or
s.sch002aa The breeding of a genetically altered animal which is expected...
s.sch002aa The creation of a genetically altered animal through a surgical...
s.sch002aa The use of metabolic cages involving moderate restriction of movement...
s.sch002aa A study with a modified diet that does not meet...
s.sch002aa The withdrawal of food for 48 hours in an adult...
s.sch002aa Evoking escape and avoidance reactions where the animal is—
s.sch002aa Part 3 of this Schedule contains a list of procedures...
s.sch002aa Toxicity testing, including in particular single dose acute toxicity testing,...
s.sch002aa The testing of a device where failure may cause severe...
s.sch002aa Vaccine potency testing that is— (a) characterised by—
s.sch002aa Irradiation or chemotherapy with a lethal dose—
s.sch002aa The induction of tumours, or spontaneous tumours, that are expected...
s.sch002aa Surgical and other interventions in an animal under general anaesthesia...
s.sch002aa Production of unstable fractures, or thoracotomy without adequate analgesia.
s.sch002aa A procedure expected to result in multiple organ failure.
s.sch002aa Organ transplantation where organ rejection is likely to lead to...
s.sch002aa Breeding an animal with a genetic disorder that is expected...
s.sch002aa Part 4 of this Schedule contains a list of procedures...
s.sch002aa The use of metabolic cages involving severe restriction of movement...
s.sch002aa Inescapable electric shock including, in particular, where it produces learned...
s.sch002aa The complete isolation for a prolonged period of a social...
s.sch002aa Immobilisation stress expected to result in gastric ulcers or cardiac...
s.sch002aa Forced swim or exercise tests with exhaustion as the end-point....
s.sch002aa The administration of anaesthesia except for the sole purpose of...
s.sch002aa A pharmacokinetic study where a single dose is administered, a...
s.sch002aa The non-invasive imaging of an animal with appropriate sedation or...
s.sch002aa A superficial procedure including, in particular— (a) ear and tail...
s.sch002aa The application of external telemetry devices that cause only minor...
s.sch002b In this Schedule— “the Council Regulation” means Council Regulation (EC)...
s.sch003 In section 1(3) of the Protection of Animals Act 1911...
s.sch003 In section 5(4) of the Dangerous Wild Animals Act 1976...
s.sch003 In section 1(3) of the Protection of Animals (Scotland) Act...
s.sch003 In paragraph 1 of Schedule 1 to the Protection of...
s.sch003 In section 12 of the Pests Act 1954 for the...
s.sch003 In section 19(4)(a) of the Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966 for...
s.sch003 In section 1(2A)(b) of the Slaughter of Poultry Act 1967...
s.sch003 In section 1(2) of the Agriculture (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1968...
s.sch003 In sections 1(2) and 15(a) of, and paragraph 1 of...
s.sch003 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
s.sch004 Any licence which immediately before the coming into force of...
s.sch004 (1) Subject to sub-paragraph (2) below, any experiment or series...
s.sch004 A person shall not by virtue of paragraphs 1 or...
s.sch004 Until such date as the Secretary of State may direct...
s.sch004 Any person who at the coming into force of section...

Help complying

Guvnor’s practical routes through this instrument.

2 more guides that reference this instrument
Meet your scientific research regulatory duties Scientific research and development: compliance checklist

Duty extraction and severity labels are Guvnor’s analysis of the instrument, not the instrument itself. Always verify against the linked source text.