Responsibility and cost sharing

In this section you can find out more about Government plans for responsibility and cost sharing of animal health management – one of the British Veterinary Association’s current issues

Background

On 30 March 2009 Defra published a consultation on its plans for responsibility and cost sharing for managing animal health called 'a new independent body for animal health: A modern governance and funding structure for tackling animal disease'. The BVA response is available to download.

The consultation proposed a new body for animal health in England with an independent board including external people from the livestock industry, which would take on everything that Defra currently does in relation to setting animal health policy except for animal welfare.

Responsibility and cost sharing advisory group

In October 2009, the then Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs established a responsibility and cost sharing advisory group to advise the government on how best to realise partnership working within the RCS agenda in England.

The group is chaired by Rosemary Radcliffe and made up of four Directors of the key animal health work areas within Defra, and eleven industry and veterinary representatives. The BVA President, Professor Bill Reilly, is a member.

The group’s terms of reference and full membership are available on the Defra website.

Consultation on draft Animal Health Bill

On 25 January 2010 Defra published a consultation on a draft Animal Health Bill. Provisions in the draft Bill would create a new body to take over animal health policy and delivery in England from Defra. The draft Bill laid out the scope and responsibilities of the new body, and how it would be constituted and operate. The BVA response is available to download.

However, in May 2010 the government said that it would wait for the report of the responsibility and cost sharing advisory group before proceeding to recommendations.

Responsibility and cost sharing under the devolved UK governments

The devolved governments have indicated that they wish to be led by an EU proposal on responsibility and cost sharing that is expected to emerge from the European Commission in 2011.

In July 2010 the Scottish Government established a short-term working group to look at ways to take forward responsibility and cost sharing in animal health in Scotland. The ‘Expert Forum’ is chaired by John Ross of the Moredun Foundation. The BVA issued a press release in response, expressing disappointment at the decision not to include veterinary input into the group.

Responsibility and cost sharing in Europe

The EU Community Animal Health Policy (CAHP) Evaluation Team recommended the development of responsibility and cost-sharing schemes in Member states and it is widely expected to become a requirement under the EU Community Animal Health Plan 2007-2013.