NATIONAL VETERINARY SCHOOL FOR WALES

That this House notes the importance of the veterinary profession to the livestock industry and in pet care; considers that the recent outbreaks of bluetongue and foot and mouth disease in the UK will adversely affect animal welfare and the productivity of the agricultural industry and require significant monitoring input from acknowledged experts; further notes that there is a growing demand for highly trained veterinarians that is currently being met by an increasing number of foreign-trained graduates; acknowledges that Wales, uniquely among the nations of the UK, has no veterinary school; and further considers that additional veterinary training to meet demand would be achieved by establishing a National Veterinary School for Wales in Aberystwyth in order to complement the Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences at Aberystwyth University.