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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what support his Department offers to (a) independent and (b) not-for-profit veterinary practices.

Veterinary practices are private entities and therefore not directly supported by Defra. The Competition and Market Authority is conducting a market investigation into the provision of veterinary services for household pets. Defra will consider any remedies they propose in due course.