The Legislative Reform (Constitution of Veterinary Surgeons Preliminary Investigation and Disciplinary Committees) Order 2013

Amendment of the Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966

2.  For Part I of Schedule 2 to the Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966(1) substitute—

“PART I Constitution of the committees

Constitution of the committees

1.— (1) The members of the preliminary investigation committee and the disciplinary committee are to be appointed by the Council.

(2) The preliminary investigation committee is to consist of no fewer than nine and no more than 15 members.

(3) The disciplinary committee is to consist of no fewer than 20 and no more than 40 members.

(4) In the case of both committees, at least a third of the persons appointed to be members must be registered persons and at least a third must be lay persons.

(5) For both committees, the Council must designate a member to act as its chair.

(6) A member of the preliminary investigation committee or disciplinary committee may hold office—

(a) for such term as may be determined by the Council, and

(b) for so long as the member satisfies such conditions about fitness to be a member as may be determined by the Council.

2.— (1) The following may not be members of the preliminary investigation committee or the disciplinary committee—

(a) a member of the Council;

(b) an employee of the Council;

(c) an employee of the College.

(2) A person who has been appointed to be a member of the preliminary investigation committee on two occasions on or after 1 July 2013 is not eligible for reappointment to that committee.

(3) A person who has been appointed to be a member of the disciplinary committee on two occasions on or after 1 July 2013 is not eligible for reappointment to that committee.

(4) No person who, as a member of the preliminary investigation committee, acted with respect to any case may, as a member of the disciplinary committee, act with respect to that case.

3.— (1) The quorum for a meeting of the preliminary investigation committee is to be three, of whom—

(a) one must be a lay person; and

(b) one must be a registered person.

(2) The quorum for a meeting of the disciplinary committee is to be five, of whom—

(a) two must be lay persons; and

(b) two must be registered persons.

Transitional provision

3A.— (1) In the period ending with 30 June 2015—

(a) paragraph 1(2) has effect as if the reference to nine persons were a reference to six persons;

(b) paragraph 1(3) has effect as if the reference to 20 persons were a reference to 12 persons; and

(c) paragraph 2(1)(a) does not have effect.

(2) An elected member of the preliminary investigation committee or the disciplinary committee whose term is unexpired at the end of the day on 5 April 2013 may remain in office for the remainder of the term for which the member was elected.

(3) During the period ending with 30 June 2015, where a person who continues in office under sub-paragraph (2) ceases to be a member of the committee, or a person who is elected under this sub-paragraph ceases to be a member of the committee, the Council may elect a member of the Council to be a member of the committee in question for a term of one year or, if shorter, until the end of the day on 30 June 2015.

(4) While any member of a committee holds that office by virtue of sub-paragraph (2) or (3), this Schedule has effect as if the references in paragraph 1(1) and (4) to appointment by the Council included references to election by the Council.

Interpretation

3B.   In this Part—

“lay person” means an individual who—

(a)

is not and never has been a registered person, and

(b)

is not and never has been entitled to apply to be registered in the register or the supplementary veterinary register;

“registered person” means an individual who—

(a)

is registered, or entitled to be registered, in the register otherwise than under section 7 (temporary registration), or

(b)

is registered, or entitled to be registered, in the supplementary veterinary register.”.

(1)

1966 c. 36.