Cambridge University and primate research
CAMBRIDGE University is refusing to give information on
primate research to an animal rights group because they fear
it would spark further threats to their staff.
The British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection (BUAV) has
lodged a complaint with the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act commissioner after universities refused to give a summary of
their current primate research and the number of primates
they had used over the past two years.
But Cambridge University said their FOI officer carried out a
risk assessment and decided that releasing the information
would create a significant safety threat to university staff
and their families as well as students.
A university
spokesman said: "As the lives and welfare of our staff,
students, and their families have been threatened in the past, under the terms of the FOI Act it is entirely
appropriate to withhold information that may increase the
likelihood of them once again being targeted."
The university said they have a "huge" folder full of details
about threats staff at the university have received in the
past, and said that by releasing the details requested by the
BUAV it could trigger more. The spokesman said: "Although
they did not request the researchers' names, by providing
them with the information there would be a distinct
possibility they could find out the researchers' names and
make threats."
The BUAV has also lodged complaints against Oxford
University, King's College London, University College London, Manchester and Nottingham universities, who also refused to
give information on their primate research under Section 38 of the FOI Act, which allows public authorities to withhold
information if its disclosure would represent a risk to the
health and safety of individuals.
The BUAV claims abusive messages to staff involved in animal testing has dramatically decreased.
Michelle Thew, chief executive of the BUAV, said the
universities were trying to control debate on animal
experiments. "Faced with this stonewalling, organisations
such as the BUAV feel they have no option but to undertake
undercover investigations to expose the truth about animal
experiments."