The Legislative Reform (Constitution of the Council of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons) Order 2018

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Order)

This Order is made under sections 1 and 2 of the Legislative and Regulatory Reform Act 2006 (c.51) and amends the Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966 (c.36) (“the 1966 Act”).

In particular, this Order provides for the gradual reduction of the number of elected members of the Council of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (“the Council”) until it reaches 13 in 2021 (articles 3(2), 5, 6(2) and 9).

This Order makes other changes to the constitution of the Council.

Article 3(3) to (6) amends section 1 of the 1966 Act from 1st July 2018. It provides that there are to be 6 lay members of the Council and 2 members who are veterinary nurses. It also reduces the number of Council members appointed by each university in the United Kingdom whose veterinary degree is recognised under section 3 of the 1966 Act from 2 to 1 and removes the provision requiring the Privy Council to appoint members of the Council.

Article 4 amends Schedule 1 to the 1966 Act from 1st July 2018 to make provision about the tenure of office of members of the Council and of the President and Vice-Presidents of the College. Under the new provisions, members of the Council may be removed from office if they fail to satisfy any conditions about fitness to be a member as are determined by the Council. Members of the Council also may not serve more than 3 consecutive terms of office. After serving 3 consecutive terms, they are not eligible to be re-elected or re-appointed until the next plus one annual general meeting. Those who are removed from office are not eligible to be re-elected or re-appointed until the next plus one annual general meeting following their removal.

Article 4 also makes provision consequential on the new provisions for appointing lay and veterinary nurse members to the Council and provides that the Chief Veterinary Officer for the United Kingdom may attend meetings of the Council but may not address those meetings except in specified circumstances.

Articles 6(3) to (5), 7 and 8 amend the 1966 Act from 1st July 2020 to change the way Council members are appointed by the universities in the United Kingdom whose veterinary degrees are recognised under section 3 of the 1966 Act and to make provision consequential on that change. From then, those universities will collectively appoint 3 persons to be members of the Council.

Article 10 amends Schedule 1 to the 1966 Act from 1st July 2021 to omit the provision requiring the six longest serving elected members of the Council to retire each year.

A full impact assessment has not been produced for this instrument as no, or no significant, impact on the private, voluntary or public sector is foreseen.