VETERINARY POLICY
RESEARCH FOUNDATION
ANNUAL REPORT 2013-14
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Contents
Introduction ______________________________________________________________________________________________ 1
Basic Information ________________________________________________________________________________________ 3
Review of Activities ______________________________________________________________________________________ 4
Financial Statements ___________________________________________________________________________________ 14
Contact Information ____________________________________________________________________________________ 15
Company Information __________________________________________________________________________________ 15
Appendix 1 ______________________________________________________________________________________________ 16
Appendix 2 ______________________________________________________________________________________________ 17
Appendix 3 ______________________________________________________________________________________________ 18
ACRONYMS
AGM
Annual General Meeting
AJT
Alexander John Trees (Lord Trees)
APGAW Associate Parliamentary Group for Animal Welfare
APPG
All-Party Parliamentary Group
BCG
Bacille de Calmette et Guérin
BSAVA British Small Animal Veterinary Association
BVA
British Veterinary Association
DEFRA Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs
DIVA
Differentiating Infected from Vaccinated Animals
FST
Foundation for Science and Technology
HOL
House of Lords
NSAID
Non-steroidal Anti-inflammatory Drug
P&SC
Parliamentary & Scientific Committee
PVI
Parliamentary Veterinary Intern
RCVS
Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons
VMD
Veterinary Medicines Directorate
VPRF
Veterinary Policy Research Foundation
VPRF ANNUAL REPORT 2013-14
Introduction
TO OUR SPONSORS
The Veterinary Policy Research Foundation would like to present the 2013-14 Annual Report and Accounts
for the year ended September 30th 2014.
INTRODUCTION AND AIMS
The VPRF was set up to provide a legal and financial vehicle which was transparent, subject to good
governance and independent of Lord Trees’ finances, with the purpose of employing an intern/researcher. It
appears to be a novel if not unique initiative in the House of Lords. In addition to providing research and
administrative support to Lord Trees, it is intended that the internship provides a career development
opportunity for young vets. Thus, the post has been advertised for either veterinary students from year
three onwards or for qualified vets.
Through the work of the Parliamentary Veterinary Intern and Lord Trees, as a crossbench peer and one of
only two veterinary scientists in the House of Lords, the VPRF aims to inform, advise and revise, and
perhaps initiate, UK Government and, in so far as is possible, EU legislation in matters related to Lord Trees’
areas of expertise and interest. Currently, Lord Trees’ portfolio of interests is listed on the House of Lords
website and focuses on UK and EU policy relating to agriculture, animals, food and rural affairs; higher
education; energy and environment; health services and medicine; international development; professional
regulation; science and technology; tropical medicine; and veterinary matters. Lord Trees also has an
interest in policy affecting the North of England and Scotland, and Africa and the Middle East.
PARLIAMENTARY VETERINARY INTERNSHIP
Following the successful promise of funding from a variety of sources approached in early 2013 and with
the help of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (and particularly Lesley Evans, HR Director) the
internship was advertised in spring 2013 to veterinary surgeons and veterinary students from year 3
onwards for a one year term with a possibility of a second year renewal. The job description is attached in
Appendix 1. There was an excellent response to the advertisement with approximately 47 applications and 7
very good candidates were interviewed by a panel chaired by Lord Trees and comprising Nick Stace - CEO of
RCVS, Peter Harlech-Jones - Senior Vice-President BVA, and Lesley Evans. The post was offered to Hannah
Jordan, at that time a final year student at the Royal Veterinary College, who subsequently qualified in July
2013 and took up the post in October 2013. In the light of her excellent performance, and the complexity of
both the development of the Foundation and of the role it was agreed with both Hannah and the Trustees to
offer her a second year’s contract, which is due to expire on September 30 th 2015.
The creation of the internship has been hugely beneficial to Lord Trees’ role, particularly in being able to be
more proactive. The nature of the House of Lords, and in particular the Crossbenches, requires that all
contributions are well researched and supported by evidence. The research role of the intern has proved
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VPRF ANNUAL REPORT 2013-14
invaluable in this respect as our outputs in speeches, questions and publications attests (see review of
activities).
OBJECTIVES FOR THE YEAR
In addition to the broad aims outlined above and following the Veterinary Policy Research Foundation AGM
on 27/02/14 the following specific objectives were set for 2014:





To investigate charitable status.
To set up a business bank account.
To recruit two further Trustees who are not sponsors of the Foundation.
To become a member of a relevant House of Lords committee, either the EU (Agriculture, Fisheries,
Environment and Energy) or Science & Technology committees.
To produce an Annual report on the first year.
All five objectives have been achieved.
With respect to charitable status, a proposal was developed with Penningtons Solicitors and submitted to
the Charities Commission. The Commission replied (4th April 2014) with a detailed and fair set of questions,
primarily questioning the satisfaction of the ‘public benefit’ criteria. After careful consideration, and
consultation with our Trustees, we decided that we could not easily satisfy their questions regarding public
benefit without compromising our primary objectives. Given that the charitable status was of marginal
benefit we withdrew the application. This may be something we could review in the future.
Setting up a business bank account was not easy and took over four months (application: 23rd September
2013 & setup: 5th February 2014). This meant that there was a delay in invoicing and receiving donations
from sponsors, which we regret, but which was beyond our control.
With respect to Trustees, Dr Wendy Harrison and Lord Richard Best have kindly agreed to serve from 2014.
Wendy Harrison is a veterinary surgeon who served on the RCVS council for some years as a recent graduate
and who is now a research scientist at Imperial College. Lord Best is a Crossbench peer, an expert on
housing and local government, with no veterinary connections, but he has considerable experience with
trusts, foundations and charities. Both of these Trustees are independent of donors to the VPRF. For further
information on these new Trustees see Appendix 2.
In May 2014 Lord Trees was invited to apply for membership as a Crossbench member of the House of
Lords EU Sub-Committee for Agriculture, Fisheries, Environment and Energy and was subsequently
appointed. The Committee meets weekly when Parliament is sitting and occasionally in recess. Its main
functions are twofold: firstly, to scrutinize legislative proposals from the EU to Member State Governments
and to comment on those proposals to the Government; secondly, to initiate investigations of its own, with
the capability to question witnesses, including ministers, in public and to produce reports. These may be
influential both to the UK Government and the EU.
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VPRF ANNUAL REPORT 2013-14
Basic Information
VPRF TRUSTEES
NAME
ORGANISATION
ROLE
Professor the Lord Trees
House of Lords Crossbenches
Chair
Mr. Nick Stace
RCVS
Trustee
Mr. Peter Harlech-Jones
BVA
Trustee
Mr. Brian Pound
CVS UK Ltd
Trustee
Mr. Phillip Sketchley
NOAH
Trustee
Dr. Wendy Harrison
Imperial College London
Trustee from 2014
Lord Richard Best
House of Lords Crossbenches
Trustee from 2014
2013-14 VPRF SPONSORS
ORGANISATION
British Small Animal Veterinary Association (BSAVA)
British Veterinary Association (BVA)
CVS UK Ltd
Goddard Vet Group
Medivet Group Ltd
National Office of Animal Health (NOAH)
Professor the Lord Trees of the Ross
Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS)
The Royal Veterinary College
University of Liverpool, School of Veterinary Science
University of Nottingham, School of Veterinary Medicine and Science
Willows Veterinary Group Ltd
Lord Trees would like to express his gratitude to the sponsors who have made the Veterinary Policy
Research Foundation and the Parliamentary Veterinary Internship possible.
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VPRF ANNUAL REPORT 2013-14
Review of Activities
October 2013 was the beginning of Lord Trees’ second year in the House of Lords and was the inaugural
year of the Parliamentary Veterinary Internship (PVI). Lord Trees (AJT) usually attends Parliament for 3
days a week from Tuesday to Thursday when the House is sitting. The House of Lords does not usually sit on
a Friday.
AJT attended
58/105 (55.2%) possible attendances from May 2012-2013
83/149 (55.7%) possible attendances from May 2013-2014
38/72 (52.8%) possible attendances from May 2014-Dec 2014 (ongoing)
PVI attended
103 working days from October 2013-2014
38 working days thus far from October 2014-2015
HOUSE OF LORDS BUSINESS
There are a number of ways in which a member of the House of Lords can exert influence on Government
and its legislation. These include speaking in debates; tabling amendments; initiating debates; tabling
written questions; tabling oral questions; and participating in committee business. In addition, there are a
number of informal means of influence such as private meetings with Government or Shadow Ministers,
participating in All-Party Parliamentary Group meetings and writing in appropriate publications. In this
year we have done all of these things.
DATE
CONTRIBUTION
DETAILS
11/01/13
30/01/13
24/07/13
Maiden Speech
Speech
Speech
Debate1 - Leveson Inquiry
Debate - Health: Neglected Tropical Diseases
Debate - Antibiotic-Resistant Bacterial Infections
29/10/13
Speech
11/11/13
20/11/13
09/12/13
Written question2
Speech
Speech
Amendment 86B &C
(not moved)
Question for Short
Debate (initiated)
Speech
Written question
Email debate
Oral question
Speech
Written question
14/01/14
16/01/14
06/02/14
25/03/14
16/05/14
25/06/14
03/07/14
17/07/14
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2nd Reading: Antisocial behavior, Crime and Policing Bill
(Dangerous Dogs Act)
Animals: Rabies
Debate - Animal Welfare: Cats and Dogs
Debate - Badgers: Bovine Tuberculosis
Report Stage: Antisocial behavior, Crime and Policing Bill
(Dangerous Dogs Act)
Debate - Animal Welfare: Methods of Slaughter
Debate - Health: Neglected Tropical Diseases
Vets: Language controls
House Magazine debate with Lord Sheikh (Non-stun slaughter)
Bovine Tuberculosis
Debate - Rural Economy
Birds of prey (Vultures and Diclofenac)
VPRF ANNUAL REPORT 2013-14
24/07/14
Speech
Debate - Agriculture and Food Industry
06/11/14
Speech
Amendment 92A
(withdrawn)
Debate - EU: Counting the Cost of Food Waste (EUC Report)
18/11/14
1
These are non-legislative debates.
2
See Appendix 3
Committee Stage: Deregulation Bill (Breeding of Dogs Act 1973)
Figure 1: Lord Trees' debate on Slaughter Welfare in the Moses Room, January 2014.
Particular contributions to note were speaking in the debate and moving an amendment to introduce dog
control notices on Dangerous dogs within the Anti-social behavior, Crime and Policing Bill (amendment
rejected by the Government); moving an amendment at Committee stage of the Deregulation Bill on the
Breeding of Dogs Act (1973) and Breeding and Welfare of Dogs Act (1999) licensing requirements – to
retain the requirement to maintain breeding records of bitches held by licensed breeders (this probing
amendment was withdrawn because it was moved in Committee stage where divisions do not occur. We had
a follow-up meeting with the Minister Lord Wallace and have been assured that this matter will go to public
consultation and the Government will reconsider in the light of the responses to the consultation); an oral
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VPRF ANNUAL REPORT 2013-14
question on bovine tuberculosis, which evinced an assurance from the Minister that the development of an
oral vaccine for badgers, the development and registration of BCG vaccination for cattle and the
development of an appropriate DIVA test to distinguish vaccinates from naturally infected cattle would not
be constrained by a lack of resources. Probably the most significant single activity was initiating a debate on
non-stun slaughter in January, which stimulated considerable media interest and subsequent activity.
Other current issues of some political prominence to which we have given considerable attention in various
ways have been antimicrobial resistance – where we have tried to present a balanced, evidence-based
viewpoint in response to some of the opinions voiced; global control of rabies – where we questioned Mr.
Bill Gates about his Foundation’s attitude to this neglected tropical disease and important zoonosis; the
importance of agriculture – in particular livestock production to the UK food security agenda – and the role
livestock veterinary services play; and the licensing of diclofenac (an NSAID) in the EU, given its toxicity to
carrion feeding birds, especially vultures. Of current ongoing activity, our role in the EU Sub-Committee on
Agriculture is considering the EU commission’s proposal on veterinary medicines regulation, which are of
considerable importance – especially with regard to antibiotics, and on which the Sub-Committee is looking
to us for critical review. A continuing strategic issue is the overall planning of land use in the UK and at the
Rural Economy Research Group meeting which we helped plan and later chaired in Oct 2014, we invited
Oliver Letwin MP, the Cabinet Minister for Government Policy, in addition to academic experts to speak on
the subject. The meeting sought to promote a holistic national approach to land use planning, which
appropriately recognises food and livestock production.
OTHER EVENTS AND MEETINGS
In addition to direct contributions to HOL business, we are committed to providing a parliamentary
platform for veterinary activities (see below). Much of our time is necessarily devoted to other meetings and
functions, both within the Parliamentary estate and elsewhere, which fulfil the twin objectives of informing
ourselves and influencing others. A summary list follows. Of particular note are the meetings of the
Foundation for Science and Technology, the council of which Lord Trees has been invited to join. The FST is
an independent, but influential body, which holds meetings for parliamentarians, leading scientists and
business people and other stakeholders, usually held at the Royal Society, to discuss important current
science and technology issues of relevance to policy-making. Also important are the All-Party Parliamentary
Groups (APPGS; of which there are some 650 in Westminster!) and we are on the meetings list for
approximately 10 of the most relevant.
EVENTS ATTENDED
DATE
EVENT
Oct 2013
10 Downing Street Energy Bill Briefing
Regulating Higher Education Report Launch
APPG for International Development
BVA Discussion Forum: Too many vets
BVA Parliamentary Briefing
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VPRF ANNUAL REPORT 2013-14
Nov 2013
Jan 2014
Feb 2014
Mar 2014
Apr 2014
May 2014
Jun 2014
Page 7
Veterinary Marketing Association Conference (Chaired)
Rural Economy Research Group: Megafarms (Chaired)
World Horse Welfare Annual Conference
RCVS Strategy & Queen’s Medal Launch
Parliamentary & Scientific Committee (P&SC): Immigration Policy for Science
BVA Congress – Too many vets?
Foundation for Science and Technology (FST): Economics of decarbonisation of the UK
electricity supply
RCVS President’s reception
BVA Congress: Evidence-based Veterinary Medicine session (Speaker)
P&SC: Badgers and Bovine Tuberculosis
APPG for Beef & Lamb
FST: Communicating uncertainty in risk estimates to decision makers
VPRF Trustees meeting, AGM & Dinner (Hosted & Chaired)
Associate Parliamentary Group for Animal Welfare (APGAW): Exotics
British & Irish Assoc. of Zoos and Aquariums Reception
BVA London Dinner
Angela Merkel address to Parliament
APPG Malaria & NTDs
APPG for Antibiotics
DEFRA Brief: Badgers & Bovine TB
Reimagining the Rural Conference
FST: Policy choices for the reduction of Bovine Tuberculosis
BSAVA Congress
APPG for Universities
APGAW: Welfare at slaughter
FST Council
BVA AWF Discussion Forum
APPG for Beef and Lamb
World Animal Protection (previously WSPA) reception: Turtles
Medical Detection Dogs reception
APPG for Agriculture and Food
BVA Scotland Dinner
RCVS Knowledge launch
Cryptosporidium conference at Wellcome Trust (Chaired)
Opened new Vet Nursing teaching building at Myerscough College, Lancashire
State Opening of Parliament
APPG for Beef & Lamb met twice
FST: Antimicrobial resistance
RSPCA reception
VPRF ANNUAL REPORT 2013-14
Jul 2014
Oct 2014
Nov 2014
Holyrood Garden party
APPG for Antibiotics
RCVS Day
Dogs Trust reception
APPG for Eggs, Pigs and Poultry
1st International Evidence-based Veterinary Medicine Conference
Rural Economy Research Group: Land use strategy (Hosted & Chaired)
BVA Parliamentary Briefing
BVA Ethics and Welfare Committee
Lord Speakers’ Lecture: Bill Gates
World Horse Welfare Annual Conference
DEFRA/VMD Antimicrobial Resistance Summit (Co-Chaired)
BVA Congress – Overseas experience (Speaker)
Vet Schools Council Launch (Hosted)
Figure 2: Lord Trees chairing the Veterinary Marketing Association meeting in the Moses room.
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VPRF ANNUAL REPORT 2013-14
COMMITTEES & ALL-PARTY PARLIAMENTARY GROUP MEETINGS
DETAILS
House of Lords EU Sub-Committee for Agriculture, Fisheries, Environment and Energy
Foundation for Science and Technology Council
Parliamentary & Scientific Committee
Commons Science & Technology Committee
APG for Animal Welfare (APGAW)
APPG for Antibiotics
APPG for Beef and Lamb
APPG for Eggs, Pigs and Poultry
APPG for International Development
APPG for Malaria and NTDs
APPG for Universities
AD-HOC MEETINGS
DETAILS
British Veterinary Association
Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons
Chief Veterinary Officer – Nigel Gibbens
DEFRA Chief Scientist – Ian Boyd
Head of Home Office Animals in Science Regulation Unit – Judy MacArthur Clark
DEFRA Under-Secretary of State – Lord DeMauley
House of Lords Ministers/Shadow Ministers
DEFRA Animal Welfare team
OUTREACH ACTIVITIES



15/04/14
24/09/14
10/12/14
Crieff PROBUS talk
Comrie over-50s talk
Central Veterinary Society, London
PUBLICATIONS
Animal Welfare and Non-stun Slaughter Factfile
A major output to inform and assist the debate on non-stun slaughter has been a well-researched, fully
referenced Factfile published on our website.

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Animal Welfare and Non-stun Slaughter Factfile
VPRF ANNUAL REPORT 2013-14
Diary of a Parliamentary Intern – Vet Record
Each month the Parliamentary Veterinary Intern has written a diary piece on their experience in the House
of Lords. These are published in the Vet Record Careers section in paper copy and online.

http://veterinaryrecord.bmj.com/content/176/1/ii.full.pdf+html
Veterinary Policy Research Foundation Blog & Website
The VPRF blog got up and running midway through 2014. It has several fixed pages informing readers about
the Foundation, Lord Trees, the Parliamentary Veterinary Internship, and our Sponsors and Trustees. We
aim to post briefly about what we get up to in Parliament and in more depth on certain issues.

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https://vprf.wordpress.com
VPRF ANNUAL REPORT 2013-14
Lords of the Blog
Lord Trees joined Lords of the blog in February 2014. Launched in early 2008 and run by Hansard, Lords of
the Blog is the place for Peers from across the political spectrum to talk about life and work in the House of
Lords. We have a number of regular contributors, as well as guest appearances. Members of the Lords tend
to focus blog posts on their specialist areas. Despite a slow start we aim to make a post once a month for the
2014-15 session.


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http://lordsoftheblog.net
http://lordsoftheblog.net/author/lordtrees/
VPRF ANNUAL REPORT 2013-14
Twitter
You can now find the VPRF on Twitter making contributions when Lord Trees is active in the House of Lords
or from events VPRF and conferences we attend.


https://twitter.com/Vet_Policy
@Vet_Policy
GOING FORWARD
Our future activities will be influenced by Government legislative proposals set out in the Queen’s speech at
the beginning of the next Parliament in May 2015. We shall scrutinize the proposals and identify matters
and issues of relevance to our interests in preparation for gathering evidence and contributing to their
debate.
In addition, proactively, we shall continue to focus our attention on non-stun slaughter; antimicrobial
resistance; bovine tuberculosis; companion animal issues, particularly related to dog breeding and welfare,
dangerous dogs, and microchipping regulations; legislation and regulation of the veterinary profession and
veterinary nursing; veterinary surveillance and our veterinary capability to deal with new disease threats;
environmental issues with a veterinary dimension; the importance of livestock production, to ensure food
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VPRF ANNUAL REPORT 2013-14
security in the UK and globally; the role of livestock in greenhouse gas emissions; safeguarding high
standards of veterinary provision in the UK; maintaining and strengthening our pre-eminent position in
research on animal health and welfare, and public health; promoting the one health concept and the
valuable role that vets pay in contributing to human health and wellbeing.
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VPRF ANNUAL REPORT 2013-14
Financial Statements
A spreadsheet showing donors and their contributions is included below. A formal, un-audited financial
report produced by our accountant, Kelly Accounting, is supplementary to this report.
SPONSORSHIP OUTLOOK
Donors
British Small Animal Veterinary Association
British Veterinary Association
CVS UK Ltd
Goddard Veterinary Group
Liverpool Veterinary School
Lord Trees of the Ross in Perth and Kinross
Medivet
National Office of Animal Health (NOAH)
Nottingham Veterinary School
Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons
Royal Veterinary College
Willows Veterinary Group
Pledge date
2013-14
2014-15
2015-16
2016-17
2017-18
Total pledge (£)
20135000
5000
20134000
4000
4000
4000
16000
20132500
2500
2500
7500
20131000
1000
1000
3000
20132000
2000
2000
6000
20131000
1500
1500
1500
1500
7000
20132500
2500
2500
2500
10000
20135000
5000
4000
4000
4000
22000
20131000
1000
1000
1000
4000
201310000
10000
10000
30000
20131000
1000
20131000
1000
1000
3000
Annual total
Red: Pledged, but not yet received.
Black: Pledged and received.
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36000
30500
29500
13000
5500
114500
VPRF ANNUAL REPORT 2013-14
Contact Information
HANNAH JORDAN
LORD TREES
Tel 0207 219 7294
Email jordanhl@parliament.uk
Tel 0207 219 7278
Email treesa@parliament.uk
Company Information
Veterinary Policy Research Foundation
Office of Lord Trees, House of Lords, London, SW1A 0PW
Tel 0207 219 7294
Web http://wordpress.vprf.com
Reg. Company Address: Penningtons Solicitors, Abacus House, 33 Gutter Lane, LONDON, EC2V 8AR
Company No.: 8680372
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VPRF ANNUAL REPORT 2013-14
Appendix 1
PARLIAMENTARY VETERINARY INTERN JOB DESCRIPTION
FOR THE OFFICE OF PROFESSOR THE LORD TREES








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£15,000 per annum
London based – a housing allowance may be available.
One year appointment. Part-time (three full days per week whilst Parliament is sitting (a total of
c.150 days per annum).
Commencement date: October 2013.
This new position is open to veterinary graduates and to veterinary undergraduates at any UK
veterinary school who have completed the third year of the undergraduate course. Candidates must
demonstrate a commitment to the advancement of the veterinary profession in the UK. The intern
will support the activities of Professor the Lord Trees. Further details are available at
www.rcvs.org.uk/about-us/work-for-us/
Interviews will take place in late May/early June 2013.
To apply: Please send a covering letter and curriculum vitae to Lesley Evans, Royal College of
Veterinary Surgeons, 62/64 Horseferry Road, London, SW1P 2AF or email l.evans@rcvs.org.uk
Closing date for applications: Monday, 22nd April 2013
VPRF ANNUAL REPORT 2013-14
Appendix 2
DR WENDY HARRISON
Wendy Harrison joined the Schistosomiasis Control Initiative as Deputy Director in
April 2009 from the Comparative Medicine and Biology Unit at GlaxoSmithKline
where she worked in an advisory role across a range of therapeutic drug development
areas including inflammation and infection.
Wendy has a Veterinary Degree from the Royal Veterinary College and worked in
mixed animal practice prior to completing a PhD in Clinical Pharmacology at St.
Georges Hospital Medical School and a post doc in comparative vascular biology at
the College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia. Wendy has a particular
interested in integrated multi-disciplinary approaches to public health in developing countries with a focus
on capitalizing on potential synergies between human and animal health programs.
Wendy completed a Masters in Public Health at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine in 2008
and is a Fellow of the Royal College of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene From 2000- 2008 Wendy served as a
Council member on the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons and is currently on the Council of the
Comparative Medicine Section, Royal Society of Medicine.
LORD RICHARD BEST OBE
Lord Best retired at the end of 2006 after 18 years as the Director of both the Joseph
Rowntree Foundation and Joseph Rowntree Housing Trust.
He is Chair of the Hanover Housing Association, Vice-Chairman of the All Party
Parliamentary Group on Urban Development and Hon. Treasurer of the All Party
Parliamentary Group on Homelessness and Housing Need.
He is President of the Local Government Association and Chair of the Independent
Commission on the Future of the LGA. He is also Chair of the Giving Forum and
President of the Continuing Care Conference.
Some of his previous posts have included: Chairman of the Westminster Housing Commission (2005-2006);
Commissioner, Rural Development Commission (1989-1998); Chair, Inquiry into Social Inclusion in Glasgow
(1998-2000); Secretary, Duke of Edinburgh’s Inquiry into British Housing (1984-1991). Between 1973 and
1988 he was Director of the National Federation of Housing Associations. He was a member of the
Commission on the Future of Birmingham’s Council Housing and chaired the Hull Partnership Liaison Board
(2002-2004).
Richard Best was created a Life Peer in 2001 and sits on the crossbenches.
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VPRF ANNUAL REPORT 2013-14
Appendix 3
WRITTEN QUESTIONS
Animals: Rabies
Asked by Lord Trees
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether, in the light of the relaxation of the Pet Travel Scheme and the two
recent cases of rabies in dogs in Holland, they have considered free pre-exposure rabies vaccination for
veterinarians in the United Kingdom. [HL3106]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
(Lord De Mauley) (Con): Employers should assess the rabies risk to their staff and determine whether
vaccination is the appropriate response to that risk. Immunisation policy is based on independent, expert
advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation, which advises the Department of Health.
Detailed guidance can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/rabies-the-green-bookchapter-27. Public Health England issues vaccines in line with this advice. All staff from Defra and the
Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency (AHVLA) who handle imported animals as part of their
day-to-day job are offered pre-exposure rabies immunisation.
Under the EU pet travel rules the risk of rabies entering the UK remains very low, and the risk of rabies
being passed from a pet to a person is lower still. The case in the Netherlands does not increase the risk of
incursion to the UK. Every suspected case of animal rabies reported to the AHVLA is investigated
immediately and tested in our National Reference Laboratory, if required. In the event of a positive result,
Public Health England assesses the risk of human exposure and offers appropriate post-exposure treatment.
Asked by Lord Trees
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether, in the light of the obligation of veterinarians to attend to wildlife
including bats, they have considered free pre-exposure rabies vaccination for veterinarians in the United
Kingdom. [HL3107]
Lord De Mauley: Employers should assess the rabies risk to their staff and determine whether vaccination
is the appropriate response to that risk. Immunisation policy is based on independent, expert advice from
the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation, which advises the Department of Health. Detailed
guidance can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/ publications/rabies-the-green-book-chapter27. Public Health England issues vaccines in line with this advice and people who regularly handle bats are
included amongst those offered pre-exposure rabies immunisation.
The UK has a very low prevalence of a rabies-like virus, the European Bat Lyssavirus (EBL) in some bats
resident in this country. There are two common, but slightly different, EBL viruses found in Europe. Since
2007, through surveillance programmes, 10 bats have been found with the EBLV2 virus in the UK; eight in
England and two in Scotland. All were Daubenton’s bats. There have also been three bats that have tested
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VPRF ANNUAL REPORT 2013-14
positive for EBLV1 antibodies; a Serotine in England and two Natterers in Scotland. Every suspected case of
animal rabies reported to the Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency is investigated
immediately and tested in our National Reference Laboratory, if required. In the event of a positive result,
Public Health England assesses the risk of human exposure and offers appropriate post-exposure treatment.
Vets: Language Controls
Asked by Lord Trees
To ask Her Majesty’s Government , in the light of the passage of the Draft Medical Act 1983 (Amendment)
(Knowledge of English) Order 2014, what plans the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
has for the adoption of analogous legislation modifying the Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966 to allow the Royal
College of Veterinary Surgeons, where there are serious and concrete doubts, to check the English language
competence of European Union-qualified veterinarians prior to registering them to practice in the United
Kingdom.[HL6123]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
(Lord De Mauley) (Con): Defra officials will continue to have discussions with the Royal College of
Veterinary Surgeons about how Defra can enable the College to put in place processes to check the language
ability of European Union-qualified veterinary surgeons wishing to practise in the UK. Any such testing must
meet requirements of EU law, in recognition of the professional qualifications Directive 2005/36/EC.
Birds of Prey
Asked by Lord Trees
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how they will respond to the recent licensing of the drug diclofenac in two
Member States of the European Union; and what assessment they have made of its toxicity to vultures.
[HL1051]
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they plan to trigger a European Union referral procedure for the
drug diclofenac in view of its recent registration in two Member States of the European Union and its
toxicity to vultures. [HL1052]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
(Lord De Mauley) (Con): Authorisation of a veterinary medicine involves an assessment of the benefits of a
product against its risks. Potential risks include risks to the animal, to the user, the consumer and to the
environment. The environmental risk is assessed to establish the extent of exposure. If the environmental
exposure is not extensive, then no further assessment is required. Without exposure, there is no risk
irrespective of the toxicity. If there is information in the public domain to indicate that despite low exposure
there may be a potential risk, then the competent authority – the body that authorises veterinary medicines
- can request a further assessment of the issues identified.
Products containing Diclofenac are a risk to vultures if there is any exposure of the birds to carcasses of
animals containing residues of the veterinary medicine. The toxicity of Diclofenac to vultures is well
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documented. In Europe there are laws which provide for the disposal of fallen stock. The risk of exposure is
therefore minimal as dead farmed animals are not left in the fields. Risk mitigation measures (instructions
to the users) could be used to eliminate exposure by instructing users not to feed carcasses of animals
treated with Diclofenac to vultures. This is something for the competent authorities of those Member States
that have authorised the veterinary use of Diclofenac. The Government has no evidence that there is a
serious risk to vultures posed by the authorisation of Diclofenac and therefore does not plan to trigger a
referral procedure.
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