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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to help increase the number of training opportunities for vets.

Defra officials have been working on strategies to ensure an adequate supply of veterinary surgeons across government and the wider sector, including the development of training programmes and working alongside veterinary schools. This is combined with ensuring swift recognition of new veterinary schools, with five having been founded since 2015; one of these being accredited since Labour took office (and three having their first cohorts being partway through the course).

In September 2026, the Animal and Plant Health Agency will launch their first Veterinary Graduate Programme. This will attract graduates interested in government work and develop their skills over the year of the programme to become Senior Veterinary Inspectors. Alongside this, the Food Standards Agency has a programme to build its Official Veterinarian reserves.