Delivering his autumn statement and spending review on Wednesday, chancellor George Osborne revealed Defra’s budget will be cut by 15 percent by 2019.

Vets reacting to the news have expressed concerns that further cuts will affect the environment department’s ability to deliver frontline services. Defra has already suffered proportionally the largest cuts of any government department.

On Thursday, British Veterinary Association (BVA) President Sean Wensley commented, "In recent years we have already seen the impact of significant cuts to Defra's budget on veterinary fees for TB testing and other OV services and on disease surveillance so further cuts are of concern.”

Wesley added, “we are pleased they are not as severe as originally forecast,” as leaked reports earlier this month suggested Defra officials had agreed to cuts of 30 percent.
 
He continued, “We welcome the Government’s announcement that spending on animal and plant health will be prioritised, particularly the continued commitment to implement the comprehensive bTB eradication strategy. We also welcome the capital investment in Defra’s science estates and equipment in order to enhance national disease outbreak response capabilities, which we hope will help support vets in the vital frontline role they play day-in day-out on the ground.
 
“However animal welfare was noticeably absent from the announcement, and BVA will continue to press Defra to ensure animal welfare policy and research remains a priority."

Defra has promised that cuts will mostly focus on backroom running costs.

In a departmental statement issued after the Chancellor’s spending review yesterday, Defra officials said the environment department “will become a more streamlined, digital department, sharing back office functions like IT, human resources and finance with its network bodies.”