A comprehensive report claims that Defra was prevented from consulting veterinary professionals over a potential vet shortage post-Brexit by the Department for Exiting the EU (DExEU).
The report – Progress in implementing EU Exit, which was published by the National Audit Office (NAO) – states that Defra is one of the Government departments most affected by EU Exit.
It also looks in detail at four of Defra’s main workstreams – including “import of animals and animal products” and “exports of animals and animal products”.
‘Not permitted’
The report notes that, in a ‘no-deal’ scenario, there will be a significant increase in certificates needing to be processed by veterinary surgeons.
It states: “Without enough vets, consignments of food could be delayed at the border or prevented from leaving the UK.
Defra intended to start engaging with the veterinary industry in April 2018 but has not been permitted to do so and now plans to launch an emergency recruitment campaign in October to at least meet minimum levels of vets required.
“It plans to meet any remaining gaps through the use of non-veterinarians to check records and processes that do not require veterinary judgement.”
BVA concerns
The British Veterinary Association (BVA) has previously outlined concerns about the potential for diluting veterinary certification.
The BVA is calling on the Government to “fully engage” with the veterinary profession before making changes that could impact the UK’s ability to trade animal products safely and in line with high animal welfare standards.
Commenting, BVA president John Fishwick said: “The NAO report is deeply concerning. It suggests that Defra has been working hard to prepare for EU Exit with one hand tied behind its back by DExEU.
Changes to veterinary certification could have serious consequences for the UK’s ability to trade animal products, which could have a devastating impact on our agricultural industries.
“Our trading partners across the globe rely on the quality assurance provided by veterinary surgeons, and any proposals must be open for wide consultation.”
Running out of time
The NAO report added: “There is a high risk that Defra will be unable to deliver all the Statutory Instruments it needs in time and it is identifying those that it needs to prioritise.
In June 2018, Defra’s legislation team reported to the Programme Board that ‘Defra is at a high risk of being unable to deliver a full and functioning statute book by end of March 2019’, and in July 2018 its secondary legislation programme was rated as red.
Fishwick added: “The Government has pledged to ensure that standards of animal health and welfare will be maintained or strengthened after we leave the EU. It is imperative that existing legislation derived from the EU is on our statute books before next March; otherwise we risk compromising our reputation for high animal health and welfare standards.”
