HC Deb 08 February 1945 vol 407 cc2249-50W
Colonel Ropner

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether the improvement of veterinary education is regarded in any way as a national responsibility; how the Government contribution to such education compares with that for other medical education; and what contribution the Government has made to the success of the Veterinary Educational Trust scheme.

Mr. Hudson

The improvement of veterinary education is certainly regarded by the Government as a matter of national concern. A Committee under the chairmanship of Dr. Loveday, appointed by the Secretary of State for Scotland and myself, has made a number of recommendations for the improvement of veterinary education, and these are now under consideration by the Government and the various bodies concerned. The Government's financial contributions to medical and veterinary education are made on different bases, and it is hardly practicable to make a useful comparison between them; but the grants made to the two veterinary schools in England during the last four years amount to nearly £100,000. The Loveday Committee's recommendations envisage substantially larger grants for the veterinary educational facilities they propose. The Government does not contribute financially to the Veterinary Educational Trust, which is, of course, intended to supplement other resources.