The Home Office is the Government Department responsible for ensuring that
scientists and animal welfare workers care for animals in the required manner.
To do this it has a team of inspectors.
All of the Home Office inspectors are either vets or doctors who usually
have experience of biomedical research.
On average an inspector will pay eight visits a year to an establishment
where animal research is being carried out. Most of the visits are unannounced
so that they are given no warning of an inspector's visit.
The inspectors have wide ranging powers and if they find fault in the way
the animals are being treated they can suspend the licences covering the research and so halt the research programme.
More information on the Home Office Inspectorate can be found at
http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/pubs.htm#h-Animals
