Skip to content

Legislation Working Party

Overview

The Legislation Working Party was established in early 2017 as it became clear that Brexit would have a significant impact on the amount of parliamentary time available for changes to veterinary legislation, as well as the need to carry out an overall review of the Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966 more than 50 years after it achieved Royal Assent.

The Working Party is conducting a thorough and wide-ranging review of the legislation with a view to making a coherent set of recommendations to the Department and to Government in due course.

Members

Legislation Working Party membership has been drawn from the Operational Board, RCVS Council and VN Council, members of RCVS staff and the representative bodies for the professions, as follows:

  • Stephen May (RCVS Council, Chair) 
  • Eleanor Ferguson (Registrar) 
  • Lizzie Lockett (CEO) 
  • Liz Cox (VN Council) 
  • Mandisa Greene (President)
  • Gudrun Ravetz (BVA) 
  • Jo Oakden (BVNA President)
  • Claire-Louise McLaughlan (RCVS Council)
  • Neil Smith (RCVS Council)
  • Ben Myring (RCVS Policy and Public Affairs Manager) 
  • Greer Wild (RCVS Policy and Public Affairs Officer)


Secretary

Ben Myring (T 020 7202 0789, [email protected])

Terms of reference

The terms of reference include:

  • Ensuring that our vision for the future of veterinary legislation is given proper consideration;
  • Proposing a list of principles on which any new legislation should be based; and,
  • Giving consideration to a more comprehensive piece of legislation that could incorporate allied professions and the regulation of veterinary practices.

Outcomes

We have already begun carrying out research into the deficiencies of the current legislation and where it could be improved, for example, by allowing us to undertake mandatory practice inspection and regulating veterinary nurses on a statutory basis.