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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 27 June 2022 to Question 22466, what her planned timescale is for identifying how best the Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966 could be updated.

There are many potential benefits associated with updating the Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966 and, including the possibility of allowing allied professionals to work as part of a vet led team, providing a modern regulatory framework for the profession and enabling greater participation in the profession. We are currently considering the proposals. Further, creating new or amending existing veterinary legislation will be a significant undertaking and subject to Parliamentary time. As such, Defra is unable to provide an indicative timescale at present.