In a speech at the BVA’s annual congress on 17th
November, the minister addressed each of the problems
that veterinarians fear could arise if the government is unable to secure a satisfactory divorce settlement from its
EU partners.
Junior Defra minister Lord Gardiner argued that
Britain has made an important contribution to the
development of EU rules in areas such as animal welfare
and environmental protection, and it will not sacrifice
the progress for short-term commercial benefits: “We
are a nation that trades on a reputation for reliable, good
quality and fairly priced products, and I think we have an
opportunity to enhance this,” he said. “So we will not dilute
our own high animal welfare and environmental standards
in pursuit of a trade deal.”
He recognised that the veterinary profession plays a
central role in maintaining that reputation and hinted
that the government may consider returning veterinary
surgeons to the shortage occupation list to ensure that the
UK can retain and recruit vets from the EU and beyond.
“It is crucially important that we secure the status of the
veterinary workforce as a priority as we leave the EU.”
Impact on Ireland
There are particular concerns for those members of the
profession practising on each side of the Irish border.
Northern Ireland’s chief veterinary officer, Robert Huey,
said it was necessary for government to plan for any
possible scenario. He calculated that without an agreement,
there would be a need for another 100 vets to certify
exports of animal-based products from the North, while any impediments to trade with the UK would also be very
damaging for the Republic’s economy.
Lord Gardiner acknowledged the importance of the peace
process in the North for people on both sides of the border
and was optimistic that a deal would be struck soon. “Both
sides are working night and day to ensure that these issues
are resolved,” he said.
The profession’s response
Although London will no longer be the home of the
European Medicines Agency, the UK will continue to observe its centralised medicines authorisation procedures.
The government will also seek an agreement on the mutual
recognition of professional qualifications. “We are not
leaving Europe, we are merely leaving the institution of the
EU. Our roots are in Europe and our interests will depend
on continued collaboration and investment with those
partners,” Lord Gardiner stated.
The minister said he had been grateful for the advice and
support of the main veterinary bodies in the discussions to
date: “Your resolute professionalism and positive attitude
to change will help us to secure the best possible outcome
for the veterinary profession and the animals and clients
that you serve. You help maintain confidence in the brand
so that consumers around the world will know that food
exported from Britain is produced by animals that are well
and properly looked after.”
Lord Gardiner, a Buckinghamshire farmer with two
veterinary surgeons among his family members, also
showed that he had been well briefed on the issues
affecting the small animal arm of the profession: “I
commend the BVA for your work on animal welfare and
particularly your campaign to counter the growth in
numbers of brachycephalic dog and cat breeds, which may
face a lifetime of compromised welfare due to their extreme
conformation.”
He noted that the government has been active in
promoting better welfare, recently updating its welfare code
on the production of broiler chickens. It is also working on
new welfare guidance for keepers of cats, dogs and horses.
In addition, he was grateful for the profession’s scientific
input in drawing up changes to the local authority animal
licensing regimes for dog breeding, pet sales, animal
boarding and riding establishments which would form the
basis of new regulations to be laid before Parliament in the
new year.
