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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the Competition and Market Authority’s final report of March 26th 2026, what Impact Assessment the Department has undertaken on the veterinary market reforms; and what assessment the Government has made on the potential effect of those reforms on the veterinary industry and market provision.

Defra welcomes the Competition and Market Authority’s (CMA’s) investigation into the veterinary market for household pets and the publication of its final report on 24 March. Defra will consider the findings alongside the responses to the public consultation on reforming the Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966 (VSA) which closed on 25 March. A formal response to the CMA’s final report will be published in due course.

Defra will produce an impact assessment as part of the legislative process related to proposed reform of the VSA.