LIKE thousands of others around the country, I am deeply concerned that the number of animal experiments in Britain is continuing to rise, despite the availability of alternatives.

Home Office statistics reveal more than four million animals were subjected to cruel and unnecessary tests last year, including 3,554 dogs, 2,202 monkeys and 11,895 rabbits, many of whom would have been killed at the end of the experiment.

More advanced scientific methods are available now than ever before, yet the number of animal experiments keeps rising – despite a government pledge to reduce animal use. It’s a national disgrace and the public deserves to know why.

We urgently need to open up the secretive animal experimentation industry to wider scrutiny by scientists and the public. Let’s have a proper public examination of proposals to use animals, before they suffer tests.

It is time for us to abandon crude and outdated animal tests in favour of modern science. Please ask your MP to sign Early Day Motion 255 which calls on the Government to increase transparency and set reduction targets. Find out how you can help at www.navs.org.uk.

Jan Creamer, President, National Anti-Vivisection Society, Millbank Tower, Millbank, London