1. This Order may be cited as the Veterinary Surgeons and Veterinary Practitioners (Registration) Regulations Order of Council 1999.

2. The said regulations are hereby approved.

3. The Veterinary Surgeons and Veterinary Practitioners (Registration Regulations) Order of Council 1967(2) is hereby revoked.

SCHEDULETHE VETERINARY SURGEONS AND VETERINARY PRACTITIONERS REGISTRATION REGULATIONS 1999

The Council of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, in exercise of its powers under section 11 of the Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966, hereby makes the following Regulations-

PART IINTERPRETATION

1. These Regulations may be cited as the Veterinary Surgeons and Veterinary Practitioners Registration Regulations 1999.

2.-(1) In these Regulations, unless the context otherwise requires:-

"Act" means the Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966;

"appropriate form" means an application form issued by the Council for the type of application in question and a requirement that an application shall be made on the appropriate form shall imply that the Council is entitled to require the completion of the form;

"College" means the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons;

"Council" means the Council of the College;

"Disciplinary Committee" means the Disciplinary Committee of the Council;

"fee year" means the period running from 1st April to the next following 31st March;

"register" means the register of veterinary surgeons maintained under section 2 of the Act;

"registrable address" means the address given by the applicant in the appropriate form or, where the address has been changed, subsequently notified to the registrar;

"registrable qualification" means a qualification entitling a person to be registered in the register under sections 3, 4, 5A or 6 of the Act;

"registrar" means the registrar of the College;

"supplementary veterinary register" means the supplementary veterinary register maintained under section 8 of the Act;

"veterinary practitioner" means a person registered in the supplementary veterinary register;

"veterinary surgeon" means a person registered in the register.

(2) References in these Regulations to a numbered Regulation mean the Regulation bearing that number in these Regulations, and references in these Regulations to "the Schedule" mean the Schedule to these Regulations.

PART IITHE REGISTERS AND LISTS

3.-(1) In the register the general list, the Commonwealth list, and the foreign list shall contain the following particulars of each person registered therein-

(a)full name and any change of name since registration;

(b)registrable address and, where known, telephone number;

(c)registrable qualification, name of college or university at which the qualification was obtained and date of admission to the register;

(d)other qualifications which the Council has authorised to be inserted in the register and which the applicant has requested shall be inserted;

(e)date of birth; and

(f)registered index number.

(2) The temporary list in the register shall contain the following particulars of each person registered therein-

(a)full name and any change of name since registration;

(b)registrable address in the United Kingdom and, where known, telephone number;

(c)qualification for temporary registration and date acquired (in the case of an applicant under section 7(1)(a) or section 7(4) of the Act the date of publication of the result of the examination leading to the degree or other qualification in veterinary surgery; in the case of an applicant under section 7(1)(b) of the Act the date of conferment of the degree or other qualification);

(d)other qualifications which the Council has authorised to be inserted and which the applicant has requested shall be inserted;

(e)period of registration;

(f)place or places at which veterinary surgery may be practised;

(g)other conditions or restrictions relating to the practising of veterinary surgery; and

(h)date of birth.

(3) The supplementary veterinary register shall contain the following particulars of each person registered therein-

(a)full name and any change of name since registration;

(b)registrable address and, where known, telephone number;

(c)date of admission to the register;

(d)in the case of a person registered under subsections 1(c) and (2) of section 8 of the Act, the particulars required to be entered in the supplementary veterinary register under section 8(3) of the Act;

(e)registered index number; and

(f)date of birth.

4. The registrar shall have authority to refuse to make in or restore to the register any entry until the fees prescribed by these Regulations have been paid.

PART IIIAPPLICATIONS FOR REGISTRATION

5. An application to the Council for the inclusion of a name in the register shall be made on the appropriate form. An applicant for registration in the register shall produce or send to the registrar the document conferring or evidencing his qualification for registration and such other supporting evidence as the Council may require in a particular case to establish whether the applicant is entitled to be registered or not.

PART IVTRANSFER FROM ONE LIST TO ANOTHER

6. An application for the transfer of a name from one list to another shall be made on the appropriate form. In the case of an application for transfer to the general, Commonwealth or foreign lists the applicant shall produce or send to the registrar the document conferring or evidencing his qualifications for registration in such list and such other supporting evidence as the Council may require in a particular case. Where the Council is satisfied that the applicant is entitled to the transfer it shall direct the registrar to delete the name of the applicant from one register or list, as the case may be, and enter it in the other.

PART VRETENTION OF A NAME AND REMOVAL FOR NON-PAYMENT OF FEES

7. Not later than 14th March in each year the registrar shall send to the registrable address of every veterinary surgeon and veterinary practitioner whose registration will expire on 31st March in the same year, and who has not at that date paid the retention fee, the appropriate form of application for the retention of a name in the register with a notice of the fees payable and a warning that failure to pay such fees entails removal from the register or supplementary veterinary register, as the case may be, of that person's name. The failure by a veterinary surgeon or veterinary practitioner to receive a form or notice shall not constitute a ground for retention or restoration of a name.

8. Where the registrar has not received by 1st June of any year, from a veterinary surgeon or veterinary practitioner resident in the United Kingdom, a retention fee due on the immediately preceding 31st March, he shall send a warning that failure to pay the fee will result in the removal from the register or supplementary veterinary register of the name in relation to which the fee is due and, if the fee is not received within one month of the issue of the warning, he shall remove the name from the register or the supplementary veterinary register. Where, in the case of a veterinary surgeon or veterinary practitioner resident outside the United Kingdom, the fee has not been paid within three months after the issue of the warning letter, the Council shall decide what further action, if any, shall be taken before that name shall be removed.

PART VICHANGES IN PARTICULARS NOTIFIED TO THE COUNCIL

9. A veterinary surgeon or veterinary practitioner shall notify the registrar within one month of any of the following changes bearing on the particulars entered in the register or the supplementary veterinary register-

(a)change of name;

(b)change of registrable address.

PART VIICORRECTION OR REMOVAL OF ANY ENTRY

10. When the registrar receives information that an entry in the register or the supplementary veterinary register is incorrect, or application is made by or on behalf of a veterinary surgeon or veterinary practitioner for an entry to be corrected, he shall make the required correction, if he is satisfied by means of a statutory declaration or otherwise that the information is true or the ground of the application is sufficient. No charge shall be made for a correction under this Regulation.

11. The registrar may remove from the register or the supplementary veterinary register the name of any veterinary surgeon or veterinary practitioner upon receipt of a written application by such surgeon or practitioner, or on his behalf, stating the grounds on which the application is made and accompanied by a declaration that the applicant is not aware of any reason for the institution of proceedings which may lead to the removal of the name under section 16 of the Act.

12. The registrar shall, subject to the provisions of section 16(2) and 17(3) of the Act, remove from the register or the supplementary veterinary register, or suspend the registration of, the name of any veterinary surgeon or veterinary practitioner in respect of whom he receives a direction to that effect from the Disciplinary Committee under section 16 of the Act.

PART VIIIRESTORATION OF A NAME TO THE REGISTER OR THE SUPPLEMENTARY VETERINARY REGISTER

13. Where a name has been removed from the register or supplementary veterinary register under the provisions of Regulation 8 it shall be restored if-

(a)within a period of two months from the removal of his name the veterinary surgeon or veterinary practitioner concerned shall pay the retention fee due from him together with the restoration fee prescribed by Regulation 20;

(b)after the expiry of a period of two months from the removal of his name the veterinary surgeon concerned shall pay the registration fee prescribed by Regulation 15 for the entry of a name in the general list, Commonwealth list or foreign list. Provided that, notwithstanding the provisions of Regulation 15, the payment of such fee shall entitle him to the retention of his name in the appropriate list only until the end of the fee year in which such fee is paid;

(c)after the expiry of a period of two months from the removal of his name, the veterinary practitioner concerned shall pay the retention fee due from him in default of payment of which his name was removed from the supplementary veterinary register, together with any retention fee which may then become due from him in respect of the fee year during which he makes application for the restoration of his name, and the restoration fee prescribed by Regulation 20.

14. Where a name has been removed from the register or the supplementary veterinary register under the provisions of section 13 of the Act, the Council may restore it on receipt of an application on the appropriate form accompanied by-

(a)the restoration fee prescribed by Regulation 20 and the retention fee due under Regulation 17 for the fee year in which the application is made; and

(b)evidence establishing to the satisfaction of the Council the applicant's identity and good character in cases where the name of the applicant has not been included in the register or the supplementary veterinary register during any of the five years immediately preceding the date of application.

PART IXFEES PAYABLE BY VETERINARY SURGEONS AND VETERINARY PRACTITIONERS

15. The fee for the entry of a name in the general list, Commonwealth list or foreign list and for the retention of the name in any of the aforesaid lists shall be called the registration fee. This fee shall be paid at the time of application for registration and shall be of such amount as is specified in the Schedule. The registration fee shall-

(a)cover the insertion in the general list, Commonwealth list or foreign list of the particulars required under Regulation 3(1); and

(b)shall entitle a veterinary surgeon whose name is entered on the general list, Commonwealth list or foreign list to the retention of his name in such list until the end of the fee year next following that in which the entry was made.

16. A fee, which shall be called the retention fee, shall also be charged-

(a)to a veterinary surgeon for the retention of his name in the general list, Commonwealth list or foreign list for each fee year beyond the period covered by the registration fee;

(b)to a veterinary practitioner for the retention of his name in the supplementary veterinary register for each fee year following that in which his name is first entered in the supplementary veterinary register.

17. Subject to the provisions of Regulation 22, the retention fee for the retention of a name in the general list, Commonwealth list or foreign list, or in the supplementary veterinary register, shall be of such amount as is specified in the Schedule and shall be payable before the beginning of the fee year to which it relates. Provided that where a member pays by credit card an administrative charge of £10, or such other amount as may be determined by the Council from time to time, shall be payable, in addition to the relevant amount specified in the Schedule. Provided further that the Council may, in the case of a veterinary surgeon who is taking a post-graduate course in a veterinary or allied subject, and on the application of such veterinary surgeon, remit such portion of the retention fee in any one year as may to the Council appear appropriate.

18. Subject to the provisions of Regulation 22, a veterinary surgeon who has paid the prescribed retention fee for practising outside the geographical areas referred to in paragraph 2(i) of the Schedule but who practises or is employed within those geographical areas shall pay to the Council the prescribed retention fee in respect of practice or employment within those geographical areas on the next following date on which it falls due.

19. The fees for restoration of a name to the general list, Commonwealth list or foreign list or to the supplementary veterinary register shall be of such amounts as are specified in the Schedule and shall be additional to the retention fee for any year during which the name is included in any such list or register.

PART XTEMPORARY REGISTRATION

20. The registration fee for entry in the temporary list shall be-

(a)in the case of a person registered under section 7(1)(a) of the Act the registration fee prescribed for registration in the general list in paragraph 1 of the Schedule and such fee shall entitle him to registration in the general list if he so qualifies, without payment of a further registration fee;

(b)in the case of a person registered under section 7(1)(b) of the Act, such amount as is specified in paragraph 5 of the Schedule. The fee shall entitle him to the retention of his name in the temporary list for the period of his registration or one year, whichever is the less. The Council shall then determine what further fee, if any, shall be payable him, but such further fee shall not in any case exceed the amount specified in paragraph 5 of the Schedule in respect of any period of one year or less.

PART XIPROVISIONS RELATING TO THE REPUBLIC OF IRELAND

21. A veterinary surgeon who resides within the Republic of Ireland shall pay no retention fee to the Council unless he-

(a)is a member of the College; and

(b)wishes to retain his right to vote in Council elections under the provisions of the Veterinary Surgeons (Agreement with the Republic of Ireland) Order 1988.

22. The Veterinary Surgeons and Veterinary Practitioners Registration Regulations 1967, the Veterinary Surgeons and Veterinary Practitioners Registration (Amendment) Regulations 1974, the Veterinary Surgeons and Veterinary Practitioners Registration (Amendment) Regulations 1988, the Veterinary Surgeons and Veterinary Practitioners Registration (Amendment) Regulations 1989 and the Veterinary Surgeons and Veterinary Practitioners Registration (Amendment) Regulations 1997 are hereby revoked.

SCHEDULETABLE OF FEES PAYABLE

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Order)

The Regulations approved by this Order make provision for the contents of the registers and lists of veterinary surgeons provided for under the Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966, for the procedures to be followed in applying for registration, for transfer from one list to another, for the action to be taken in the case of non-payment of fees, for notifying changes of particulars, for correcting and removing entries from the registers, for the restoration of names to the registers, for the fees to be paid in respect of registration, for temporary registration, and for veterinary surgeons resident in the Republic of Ireland. They replace the Veterinary Surgeons and Veterinary Practitioners Registration Regulations 1967.