Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the effect of regulatory costs on the veterinary sector.

The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons is responsible for regulating the veterinary sector in accordance with the Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966. The College levies a registration and annual retention fee, currently £314; and recovers disciplinary costs. In 2016 the total cost to the sector was £7,407,338 for registration and retention fees and £9776 for recovery of disciplinary costs.