Scientists involved in experiments on animals have been promised greater protection from intimidation and harassment under new plans unveiled by the government.

Ministers said on Friday that research "vital" to both the economy and medical advancement would be protected at all costs.

Recent concern has focused on the targeting by animal rights activists of individuals involved in vivisection experiments as well as those who finance their work.

Animal welfare campaigners said the issue had been "hyped up" and was distracting attention from more important concerns.

And Jan Creamer, chief executive of the National Anti-Vivisection Society (NAVS), told ePolitix.com that ministers had "been terrorised by the science lobby" into making the announcement.

But the Conservatives have backed the government's plans and warned that driving animal experiments abroad could backfire.

New plans

In response to recent concerns over the activities of some campaigners, the new laws are expected to herald a clampdown on protest ringleaders.

Ministers said they do not want to ban peaceful protests, but are determined to stop extremists who have engaged in activities such as threatening phone calls and hoax bomb packages.

Trade and industry secretary Patricia Hewitt said she was determined to allow science to flourish.

"I am proud of the advances in medical research that have been brought about by the work of UK scientists and businesses who make a huge contribution to our economy and prosperity," she said.

"Our lifespan would be shorter, our health worse and our environment and country poorer without these people who carry it out.

"Animal rights extremists do not have the right to harass and physically attack those involved in lawful business and research. The government is committed to protecting those who work in the bioscience sector, whether directly or in the supply chain."

Home Office minister Caroline Flint added that the police would be given the necessary resources to enforce the law.

"It is wholly unacceptable that a small number of criminal extremists attempt to stop individuals and companies going about their legitimate business. Their tactics of intimidation and violence are deplorable and I am determined to do everything in my power to put an end to it," she said.

"People have the right to campaign lawfully and peacefully against the use of animals in scientific research. But they do not have the right to intimidate people and their families in their own homes, nor do they have the right to harass people at work or destroy their livelihoods.

"By toughening up the law on protests and harassment, and with robust enforcement by the police, and courts, the government intends to put a stop to the animal extremists' reign of terror.

"Animal research has helped save hundreds of millions of lives, and is only carried out where absolutely necessary and under stringent controls. I am determined that, until suitable alternatives are found, this vital work should continue so that hundreds of millions more lives can be saved in the future."

And attorney general Lord Goldsmith said the courts would be equipped to prosecute cases.

"Animal rights extremists are determined and committed. And our response is equally determined and committed," he said.

"The national forum of police and prosecutors which I have established is already building up experience of how best to use the available legislation to bring these offences to court and put an end to unlawful, harassing and intimidating behaviour.

"The new measures announced today give further tools to the network of specially trained prosecutors, one in each area across England and Wales, so they can deal with the extremists and ensure they feel the full weight of the criminal justice system."

Stalking

Among the measures announced was an extension of anti-stalking laws that will make it an offence to protest outside the home of anyone involved in experimentation on animals.

The police will gain new powers to remove protesters from outside private homes, or from locations they have previously been told to leave.

Home secretary David Blunkett will also appoint one of the country's top police officers to lead a national crackdown on extremists.

Anton Setchell, an acting assistant chief constable, will co-ordinate the efforts of police forces across England and Wales to convict the ringleaders organising attacks on scientists and businessmen.

However, the plans are not likely to go far enough for some scientists, who have called for a new act of parliament to implement the them as a sign of government backing for necessary research.

And there have been warnings from some key business leaders that research is being driven abroad by the current level of intimidation.

Leading City figures are also reported to have been developing plans to offer a £25 million reward for information leading to the prosecution of those guilty of such harassment.

Ahead of the announcement, shadow home secretary David Davis backed any new power that would allow action against "those who terrorise people who engage in entirely legitimate research".

"Their campaign of intimidation must be brought to an end before anybody is seriously hurt," he added.

"However, simply introducing new powers won't tackle the problem on its own. They need to be more vigorously enforced, and the CPS and the police must cooperate to ensure people responsible for this behaviour are brought before the courts and dealt with."

Wider issues

Meanwhile, those opposed to the continuing use of animals in scientific experiments have criticised ministers for failing to ensure that the experiments that are conducted are entirely necessary.

There were also questions from NAVS about whether any new legislation was actually necessary.

"We would have hoped that the Home Office had all of the legislation that it needs to act against people breaking the law," Creamer told this website.

"What they should do is simply use the legislation they have and take action when someone breaks the law."

NAVS is currently involved in a  High Court action aiming to quash a planning decision by deputy prime minister John Prescott to allow Cambridge University to build a laboratory, for experiments on monkeys, on green belt land.

And Creamer said the latest moves were distracting attention from other key issues.

"It has been hyped up and it is in danger of drawing attention away from what is going on in the High Court on this Cambridge case that has far wider ramifications," she said.

The NAVS head also said that the case showed that government didn't need to support animal experimentation in order to support scientists.

"The government should look at alternatives before they look to animal research," she said.

"We think the government should be standing up to the science lobby."

Creamer added: "The government and the Home Office needs to stand up effectively to terrorism from the whole animal research lobby."

She also criticised the government's policies, saying they could be contributing to the problem of violence against scientists.

"The problem we have is that the government is not leaving anywhere to go," she said.

"When governments don't give ordinary members of the public a fair hearing, as has happened in the Cambridge case, there are going to be certain sectors of society who will feel frustrated and turn to illegal activity.

"Everyone is opposed to law breaking and everyone is opposed to intimidation, but when the Home Office doesn't give organisations like ours a fair hearing they are likely to make a situation like these extremists worse."

But the Conservatives said that closing down research in Britain could prove counterproductive.

"Animal experimentation is tightly regulated in the UK," said Davis.

"Attempts by extremists to close down Britain's research laboratories could drive experimentation abroad to possibly less regulated countries, which is not in the interests of animal welfare."