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

To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to ensure that there are enough vets in the UK to deal with any increased demands on veterinary care as a result of a no-deal Brexit.

The Government is working closely with veterinary stakeholders, including the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) and British Veterinary Association (BVA), to ensure that the UK has sufficient veterinary capability and capacity both immediately after exiting the EU and in the longer term.

The Government has made it clear that it will protect the rights of EU citizens who are already working in the UK if the UK leaves the European Union without a deal.

The Government is proposing to amend the Veterinary Surgeons Act, to ensure that EU nationals already registered to practice in our veterinary profession, or in the process of registering, by exit day will continue to have their registration recognised by the RCVS so they can continue to work in the UK.

The first cohort of graduates will graduate from the University of Surrey’s new veterinary degree course in July 2019. The opening of this new veterinary course will provide a greater supply of domestically qualified vets in UK going forward.