Legislative Change Working Party

Overview

In 2017 a Legislation Working Party was established to develop recommendations for the reform of the Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966. After completing its work, the recommendations were put out to consultation, and then approved by RCVS Council in 2021.

Subsequent work has been carried out to develop recommendations in areas that were not fully addressed by the 2017 Working Party. Additionally, discussions with the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) concerning the prospect of new legislation ongoing.

The Legislative Change Working Party has been established to act as a contact group to finalise new recommendations before they go to Council for approval, and to develop rapid but considered responses to queries from Defra.

Terms of reference

• To finalise any outstanding recommendations for legislative reform before referral to Council for approval.
• To act as a contact point for any queries from Defra on the subject of replacing the VSA 1966.
• To oversee related aspects of the College’s public affairs and communications plans.

Membership

Secretary: Ben Myring

• Belinda Andrews Jones, Chair, VNC / Chair, Practice Standards Group (PSG)

• David Barrett, Council member (FRCVS)

• Linda Belton, Senior Vice-President

• Eleanor Ferguson, Consultant, Former Registrar

• Lyndsay Hughes, President, British Veterinary Nursing Association (BVNA)

• Liz Mullineux, President, British Veterinary Association (BVA)

• Tim Parkin, President

• Tim Walker, Council member (Lay)

• Simon Williams, VNC member (RVN)

• Joanna Clift, Council member (Lay)

• Tim Hutchinson, Junior Vice-President

• Sue Paterson, Council member (FRCVS)

Attending Staff

• Julie Dugmore, Director of Veterinary Nursing
• Gemma Kingswell, Head of Legal Services (Standards)
• Lizzie Lockett, CEO
• Ben Myring, Head of Policy, Insight & Public Affairs
• Clare Paget, Registrar / Director of Legal Services