MEPs have backed a series of measures that could set animal protection back decades.

Members of the European Parliament's Agriculture Committee voted through a number of amendments that seriously weaken proposals from the European Commission to regulate animal testing.

MEPs are claiming to protect laboratory animals while at the same time slashing protections proposed by the European Commission, which they spent years developing in consultation with all parties.

Some of the amendments voted through include allowing animals to suffer severe and prolonged pain, allowing almost unlimited reuse of animals and the ending of almost all licensing of experiments.

This completely goes against public and political will, that wherever possible, animal research should be replaced by advanced techniques.

Animals and members of the public have been badly let down.

JAN CREAMER National Anti-Vivisection Society London