2 Mar 2026
A major company boss has also slammed the consultation’s launch as “frankly unhelpful”.
Allister Webb
Job Title
FIVP chairperson Rita Dingwall. Image: FIVP
The head of a major UK veterinary company has attacked the Government’s handling of its legislative reform consultation as “frankly unhelpful”.
The comments by CVS Group chief executive Richard Fairman came after the Federation of Independent Veterinary Practices (FIVP) accused ministers of using the process to “build support” for wider reforms.
Defra officials have insisted they are listening to the sector, despite the unease over its linking of law changes to the ongoing Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) investigation.
But while he believes the inquiry’s impact on confidence in the sector has reduced of late, Mr Fairman shared the concerns of other stakeholders over the manner of the consultation’s launch.
Speaking as his company outlined its half-year results on 26 February, he stressed the consultation process was both welcome and “long overdue”.
But he added: “I think the way that was positioned in the press release was frankly unhelpful.”
Several senior figures within the sector have acknowledged the CMA’s role in moving the legislative issue – a long-standing concern within the veterinary professions – up the political agenda.
CVS chief veterinary officer Paul Higgs said the company was “pleased to see the Government take the opportunity of the CMA investigation to accelerate this process” in its published results documents.
But the FIVP believes the legislative question should be considered “entirely independently” of the CMA, because it pre-dates the investigation process whose final remedy proposals are expected to be published in the coming weeks.
Its chair, Rita Dingwall, said: “While we are pleased that this much-needed consultation has been launched, we are disappointed that it is being misrepresented as part of the CMA’s remedy package.
“Defra appears to be using the consultation, which should unite the veterinary sector, to build support for the CMA’s proposed remedies.”
With the current consultation process continuing until 25 March, Mrs Dingwall stressed hope that the federation’s members would continue to have their say on the legislative issue.
But she added: “Everyone in the veterinary profession must consider what is best for the future of veterinary care and animal welfare, independently of the CMA’s reports.”
The interventions follow recent criticism from vet and shadow Defra minister Neil Hudson, who accused the department of “conflating” the two issues and causing “extreme alarm” within the sector.
Other senior figures have also expressed concern about the link drawn between the two issues, though they acknowledge the authority’s findings may have helped to accelerate the legislative agenda.
But deputy CVO Ele Brown insisted the consultation was intended to support the professions in their clinical work, while ministers have argued that the CMA’s initial findings around price increases should be taken into account.
