1. These regulations are hereby approved.

2. The Veterinary Surgeons (Examination of Commonwealth and Foreign Candidates) Regulations Order of Council 1967( 2 ), the Veterinary Surgeons (Examination of Commonwealth and Foreign Candidates) (Amendment) Regulations Order of Council 1971( 3 ) and the Veterinary Surgeons (Examination of Commonwealth and Foreign Candidates) (Amendment) Regulations Order of Council 1998( 4 ) are hereby revoked.

3. This Order may be cited as the Veterinary Surgeons (Examination of Commonwealth and Foreign Candidates) Regulations Order of Council 2001, and shall come into force forthwith.

SCHEDULE The Veterinary Surgeons (Examination of Commonwealth and Foreign Candidates) Regulations 2001

The Council of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, in exercise of its powers under section 6(4) of the Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966, hereby makes the following Regulations:—

1. These Regulations may be cited as the Veterinary Surgeons (Examination of Commonwealth and Foreign Candidates) Regulations 2001.

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

“Act” means the Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966;

“candidate” means a person required by the Council under section 6(2) of the Act to sit for the statutory examination;

“Council” means the Council of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons;

“Education Committee” means the Education Committee of the Council;

“Examination Appeals Committee” means the Examination Appeals Committee of the Council;

“examiners” means the examiners appointed by the Education Committee;

“registrar” means the registrar of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons;

“statutory examination” means the examination to be held by the Council for the purpose of section 6(2) of the Act.

(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.

3. Every person desirous of sitting for the statutory examination shall satisfy the registrar that he would be eligible to sit the examination in accordance with the provisions of section 6 of the Act. A candidate for the statutory examination shall normally before sitting the examination provide the evidence of good character required by section 6(1)(a) of the Act, and of their Commonwealth or foreign qualification in veterinary surgery as required by section 6(1)(b). However, in exceptional cases the registrar may permit the candidate to sit the examination without having provided such evidence, provided that in the event of the candidate passing the whole of the statutory examination the evidence is produced before he is registered. A candidate shall also furnish such other information as the Council shall require and, in particular, information as to the courses of study which he has taken and the examinations which he has undergone, the date on which his Commonwealth or foreign qualification was, or is likely to be, granted and the extent to which he has been permitted to practise, and has practised or has been prevented from practising, since that date.

4. —(1) The statutory examination shall normally be held once in every year, and shall be designed to test the candidate’s general veterinary knowledge in medicine, surgery, reproduction and animal health. It shall include—

(a) written, oral and practical examinations in medicine, surgery, reproduction and animal health; and

(b) clinical examinations in medicine, surgery and reproduction.

(2) The statutory examination, or any part thereof, may be held by the Council or other examining body. The Education Committee may make rules for the conduct of the statutory examination dealing with such matters as are not expressly governed by the Act or these Regulations and may publish Guidance Notes stating the rules which have been made and giving such other information as it may think appropriate.

5. Unless otherwise determined by the Education Committee a candidate must normally enter for the whole of the statutory examination at one time, but if he does not satisfy the examiners in any one or more subjects in the examination he may, at the discretion of the Education Committee, sit for such subject or subjects at the next or next but one examination; if he shall then satisfy the examiners in such subject or subjects he shall be regarded as having satisfied the examiners in the whole of the statutory examination.

6. A candidate who has failed to pass any or all of the subjects specified in Regulation 4(1) may appeal to the Examination Appeals Committee, in accordance with the Examination Appeals Rules made by the Council.

7. Subject to Regulation 6, where any candidate fails to pass any subject of the statutory examination the examiners shall make a report to the Education Committee, which may, if it thinks fit, withdraw the right to sit for any subject of the examination from a candidate who has twice failed to pass such subject of the examination.

8. The standard of knowledge and skill required to be shown by candidates in order to satisfy the examiners in the statutory examination shall be not less than the standard required to qualify as a veterinary surgeon under section 3(1) of the Act.

9. The fees for sitting the whole of the statutory examination and for sitting any subject or subjects of the examination taken separately in terms of Regulation 5 shall be of such amounts as are specified in the Schedule. No candidate shall be permitted to take the examination or any subject thereof until he has paid the appropriate fee.

10. —(1) Any candidate who gives notice in writing of the withdrawal of his application for entry to the statutory examination, or any subject thereof, shall be refunded the full amount of the appropriate fee if the notice of withdrawal is received at the College on or before the last day for submission of such applications. A candidate whose notice of withdrawal is received at the College after that date but not less than 28 days before the date on which the examination is due to be held shall be refunded one-half of the appropriate fee.

(2) A candidate whose notice of withdrawal is received at the College less than 28 days before the examination is due to be held, or who fails to appear at the examination, shall not be entitled to the refund of any portion of the fee.

(3) Notwithstanding the provisions of the two preceding paragraphs of this Regulation, in any case where a refund of the full amount of any fee is not payable the Education Committee may, in its discretion, on the application of any candidate showing medical or other compassionate reasons for his withdrawal or failure to appear, grant such sum by way of refund as may to the Education Committee appear just.

11. The Veterinary Surgeons (Examination of Commonwealth and Foreign Candidates) Regulations 1967, the Veterinary Surgeons (Examination of Commonwealth and Foreign Candidates) (Amendment) Regulations 1971 and the Veterinary Surgeons (Examination of Commonwealth and Foreign Candidates) (Amendment) Regulations 1997 are hereby revoked.

SCHEDULE FEES FOR SITTING THE WHOLE OR PART OF THE STATUTORY EXAMINATION

The following fees are hereby specified for the purposes of Regulation 9:—

1. Fee for sitting the whole of the statutory examination ... ... ... ... £1000

2. Fee for sitting any subjects(s) of the statutory examination separately under Regulation 5 ... ... ... ... £500.