The Ferret today has a piece on

Nearly 500 monkeys have been transported more than 6000 miles to Scotland from Mauritius to be used in animal experiments since the start of 2025, The Ferret can reveal. The monkeys are used in tests at a research site in Tranent run by a company called Charles River Laboratories that buys, sells and experiments on animals. The US multinational – which specialises in gene and cell therapy, medical devices, and biotechnology – conducts research on dogs, monkeys, rats and mice to make medicines, fertilisers and weedkillers.

https://www.theferret.scot/hundreds-monkeys-imported-scotland/?ref=story-alerts-newsletter

Their report does refer to UK Government control in one line only, but does not make that explicit.

Let me.

Could the Scottish Government deny permission to the company’s activities?

No. The Scottish Government cannot deny permission for Charles River’s core animal research and testing activities.

The regulation of scientific procedures on live animals is a reserved matter under the Scotland Act 1998 (Schedule 5, Section B7 – “Scientific procedures on live animals”). This covers the subject-matter of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 (ASPA). Licensing and enforcement are handled exclusively by the UK Home Office (Animals in Science Regulation Unit), which applies across Great Britain.⁠https://legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1998/46/notes/division/5/5/11/2/7

The Scottish Government has repeatedly confirmed it has no functions in this area. For example, in responses to parliamentary questions it has stated that the use of animals in scientific procedures is reserved to the UK Government. https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/questions-and-answers/question?ref=S6W-00044

Which UK Government department gives permission for this type of business?

The Home Office is the UK Government department that gives permission for this type of business (animal research and testing). Under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 (ASPA), the Home Office’s Animals in Science Regulation Unit (ASRU) issues and enforces the required licences for work in England, Scotland and Wales.

When Charles River Laboratories took over the site in 2004, who was Home Secretary?

David Blunkett was Home Secretary for most of 2004. He held the post from June 2001 until he resigned on 15 December 2004 amid a scandal over the fast-tracking of a visa application for the nanny of his former lover, Kimberly Quinn. https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2004/dec/15/davidblunkett.immigrationpolicy1

Too busy to read stuff about monkeys?

Anybody famous buying and selling shares in this company?

Some US political figures (including members of Congress and, in small reported trades, Donald Trump) have bought or sold CRL stock in recent years.

https://www.kadoa.com/companies/crl

https://us.trendlyne.com/us/equity/politician/1403276/CRL/charles-river-laboratories-international-inc/

The Ferret improves but still avoids any criticism of the Union.

See their previous dismal failures at https://talkingupscotlandtwo.com/?s=Ferret including these:

Anti-immigration protest – Why is the Ferret ‘fact-checker’ so desperate to make Scotland look like the rest of the UK when it’s demonstrably not?