Brexit: Ministers respond on working rights
Last month the government confirmed that there had been no change to the rights and statuses of EU nationals in the UK.
The UK's decision to leave the European Union (EU) prompted much concern regarding the future working rights of EU veterinary surgeons and nurses. Environment ministers from Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have now highlighted the importance of EU citizens when it comes to animal health and welfare.
Nearly half of the veterinary surgeons who register in the UK qualified from veterinary schools elsewhere in the EU, according to the RCVS.
In the wake of the EU referendum result, the BVA called on the UK secretary of state and environment ministers to ensure non-British EU vets and nurses who currently live, work or study in the UK, can continue to do so.
Last month the government confirmed that there had been no change to the rights and statuses of EU nationals in the UK and, after Brexit, it is expected that this legal status will be properly protected.
Responding to the BVA's questions, UK environment ministers voiced their priority to ensure the best possible outcomes for current constituents.
The responses were:
Fergus Ewing, Scotland's cabinet secretary for the rural economy and creativity, on behalf of cabinet secretary Roseanna Cunningham:
"The First Minister is seeking guarantees from the UK Government that the residency status and other existing rights of the 173,000 EU citizens living in their respective countries will remain unchanged now and in the future."
Lesley Griffiths, Welsh cabinet secretary for environment and rural affairs:
"The First Minister has also made it clear there are many sectors of business, which depend on EU citizens to fill vital posts and damage to public services and the wider economy would be immense if EU citizens were required to leave the country. I appreciate this could cause difficulties in relation to the veterinary profession and delivery of our Animal Health and Welfare programmes and policies in Wales."
Michelle McIlveen, Northern Ireland's minister of agriculture, environment and rural affairs:
"I will also endeavour, given the importance of animal and veterinary public health to the local economy, to ensure that this concern [you raise] is represented in the composite Northern Ireland input into the final United Kingdom negotiating position and strategy."
Andrea Leadsom, the new secretary of state, has offered to meet with BVA president Sean Wensley to discuss these issues. BVA is also forming a Brexit working group to prioritise and develop policies on key issues that should be raised in negotiations.
With Strangles Awareness Week just around the corner (5-11 May), vets are being encouraged to share a survey about the disease with their horse-owning clients.
