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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many new vets have been trained and recruited to help process animal health export certificates prior to consignment since 31 January 2021.

Over this period the net increase in Official Veterinarians (OVs) qualified to sign Animal Health Certificates was 308. In January 2021 the total number of OVs authorised to sign Animal Health Certificates for the export of dogs, cats and ferrets was 7,588 rising to 7,896 in November 2021.