BioWorld International Correspondent

LONDON - Animal rights extremists face jail terms of up to five years if they cause "economic damage" to any company doing business with animal research companies or facilities, the UK government announced Monday.

Two new criminal offenses will be introduced to protect suppliers and contractors ranging from taxi firms and couriers, to laboratory equipment companies and banks that are increasingly being subjected to harassment and intimidation by animal rights extremists.

The measures are part of the Serious Organized Crime and Police Bill, which is passing through Parliament, and are expected to be in force before the end of the year.

The offenses, which apply to any supplier, customer or associate of an animal research organization, even if they are several steps removed in the supply chain, are in addition to other measures in the bill. Those include a new offense of protesting outside a person's home in a way that causes harassment, alarm or distress, and gives the police the power to move protesters from outside someone's home and ban them from returning.

SHAC (Stop Huntingdon Life Sciences), one of the leading animal rights activist groups in the UK, claims its actions forced more than 100 companies to stop supplying goods and services to the animal-testing company Huntingdon Life Sciences plc (HLS) in 2004. SHAC's tactics have included targeting customers of HLS suppliers.

Figures compiled by the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry showed 112 suppliers cut ties with animal research companies and facilities in 2004. At the same time, there were major increases in the number of abusive or threatening phone calls, and a jump in damages to company, personal and public property.

The UK BioIndustry Association (BIA) has mounted a long campaign for stronger protection. Aisling Burnand, its chief executive, told BioWorld International it was not easy to frame the legislation.

"We acknowledge the right of people to protest peacefully, but there is a need to curtail extremists," she said. "The economic damage clause will give more clarity on what is legitimate [action] and what is not. The tactics being used against suppliers are not acceptable."

Burnand hopes the legislation will persuade companies that have been intimidated into cutting ties with HLS and other animal research facilities to review their positions.

"It will be a criminal offense, whereas before it was civil, so people are more likely to complain than walk away from a contract," she said.

Announcing the measures, Trade and Industry Secretary Patricia Hewitt said animal rights extremists pose a threat to investment in the UK, saying that "extremists are also ruining lives and livelihoods of people and communities."

The other issue for the BIA is enforcement.

"We now want reassurance in terms of police resources to make this work in practice," Burnand said.