§ Miss WiddecombeTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate she has made of the number of veterinary surgeons who will be required over each of the next five years. [119228]
§ Mr. Bradshaw[holding answer 16 June 2003]No such estimate has been made, but in 2001 the Institute for Employment Studies carried out a modelling exercise for the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS). This indicated that the requirement for veterinary surgeons in the UK over the next ten years was very sensitive to a number of variables. On several possible scenarios fewer new graduates would be needed each year than now.
The RCVS has recently asked IES to update the model and the results of this review are expected within the next few months.
Discussions between Defra and stakeholders in developing the Animal Health and Welfare Strategy for Great Britain have stressed the important role private veterinarians will have in delivering the Strategy.