In the UK, the Animal Procedures Committee (APC) is a statutory committee that provides advice to the Home Secretary on the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 and his functions under it. The membership of the Committee is prescribed under the Act and at least two-thirds of the members must be either medical practitioners or veterinary surgeons or qualified in a relevant biological subject. One member must be a barrister, solicitor or advocate. At least half of the members must not have held a licence under the Act during the last 6 years, and the interests of animal welfare must be adequately represented. Given these restrictions, individuals are appointed in their own right, and not because of their membership of or employment by various organizations. This Annual Report is the last for which Professor Margaret Brazier was the Chair of the Committee, her place being taken with effect from February 1999 by The Reverend Professor Michael Banner. It is particularly important, as it contains the final Report of The Review of the Operation of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 which covers the whole breadth of the functioning of the Act. It is interesting to note, that the Committee accept that there are opportunities for improving the Act's operation and enhancing its effectiveness. It is also the first APC Annual Report since Dolly the cloned sheep was produced, and the Committee have accepted that that this event demonstrated that there are ethical issues on which they not developed a position.