Regulation 8

to review, at least once every 12 months, all programmes for the care and use of animals carried out in the research facility, using the guidelines as a basis of evaluation;

to inspect the research facility, including the housing facilities for animals, at least once annually, using the guidelines as a basis of evaluation;

to prepare reports of the evaluations conducted by the committee in accordance with such requirements as may be set out in the guidelines and submit the reports directly to the licensee;

to review and investigate any concern, complaint or report of non-compliance with any guideline involving the care and use of any animal at the research facility;

to make recommendations to the licensee regarding any aspect of the animal programme, facilities or personnel training at the research facility;

to review, approve, require modifications in, withhold approval of or reject any proposed project, or any proposed significant change in any ongoing project, relating to the use of any animal for any scientific purpose;

to withdraw approval for or suspend any project involving any animal if that project is not being conducted in accordance with the guidelines or with the description thereof provided by the investigator and approved by the committee;

to authorise the treatment or humane killing of any animal for any scientific purpose;

to conduct continuing reviews of activities involving the use of any animal for any scientific purpose, including any approved project of long duration and any long-term continual use of any individual animal for such purpose, at appropriate intervals but at least once a year;

to determine the best means of conducting an evaluation of the care and use of animals, provided that no member of the institutional animal care and use committee wishing to participate in any evaluation is excluded;

to maintain a register of approved projects; and

to perform all duties as required under the guidelines.