Transparency data

AHWBE register of members' interests

Updated 8 January 2024

The following provision for the declaration of interests are intended to prevent the Chair and Non-Executive Members of the Animal Health and Welfare Board for England (AHWBE) being influenced, or appearing to be influenced, by their private interests in the exercise of their public duties.

All personal or business interests which may influence or, in the judgement of the member, may be perceived by a reasonable member of the public to influence their judgement in relation to AHWBE work should be declared. Such interests include, but are not limited to, involvement in the agriculture, animal-keeping, animal health, food and related industries. A guide to the categories of interest which must be declared is included in the AHWBE’s Code of Practice and in the Chair’s and Non-Executive Members’ Terms and Conditions documents.

Non-Executive Members of the Board are required to complete a Register of Members’ Interests. There is no lower threshold for declaration of personal and non-personal interests, including shareholdings. All relevant current interests should be declared. Non-Executive Members are asked to inform the Secretariat as soon as is practicable of any changes in their interests and will also be required to provide an annual declaration of interests. When considering what non-financial interests should be declared, members should ask themselves whether a member of the public, acting reasonably, would consider the interest might influence the member’s words, actions or decisions.

The Chair and Non-Executive Members must declare their relevant interests in issues to be discussed at formal meetings of the AHWBE. The interest should be declared in advance of the meeting and again prior to discussion of the relevant agenda item at the meeting. More detailed guidance on declaring interests is in the AHWBE’s Code of Practice.

Executive Members of the AHWBE are not required to register interests specifically for the Board as they are required by the Civil Service Management Code to declare conflicts of interests. This Code states that civil servants must declare to their department or agency any business interests (including directorships) or holdings of shares or other securities which they or members of their immediate family (spouse, including partner where relevant, and children) hold, to the extent which they are aware of them, which they would be able to further as a result of their official position. Senior Civil Servants in Defra are required to declare conflicts of interest on appointment and then update them as necessary. This information is not published but is available on request.

The current register of interests for each of the AHWBE Non-Executive Members follows:

Jonathan Statham (Chair)

Consultancies or direct employment

• Bishopton Veterinary Group (BVG) – Chair
• RAFT Solutions Ltd – Chief Executive
• Veterinary Products Committee (VPC) of VMD Harper and Keele Veterinary School (HKVS) – Professor

Fee-paid work

• Expert witness work
• Wide range of RAFT commercial activity, including collaborations and delivery of research programmes. RAFT holds consultancy, research, laboratory service and training contracts with a range of organisations including UK and overseas universities, levy bodies and retailers (such as Morrisons and Sainsburys) and global corporations (such as Pepsico, Zoetis, MSD, Ceva Santé Animale and Boehringer Ingelheim).

Shareholdings

• Bishopton Veterinary Group (BVG)
• RAFT Solutions Ltd
• VetDx Ltd – Director of VetDx Ltd, a veterinary a human diagnostics data management company
• XL Vets UK

Clubs and organisations

• BVA
• BCVA
• FRCVS
• Askham Bryan Agricultural College – Fellow
• IETS
• IUK KTN Animal Science Advisory Board
• InSHAW – Chair
• Animal Health and Welfare Pathway – Member of co-design groups; Chair of Pathway chairs group
• Ruminant health & Welfare Group
• Dairy Cattle Industry Mobility Steering Group
• Johnes disease UK technical and action groups
• XL Vets UK

Other

• Advisor to various tech companies, such as Herdsy Ltd

Peter Laurie

Consultancies or direct employment

• Battersea Dogs & Cats Home

Fee-Paid Work

• None

Shareholdings

• None

Clubs and Organisations

• Association of Dog and Cat Homes

Other

• Greyhound Forum – Chair

Gwyn Jones

Consultancies or direct employment

• AHDB (Ruminant Health and Welfare Group)
• RUMA
• FIIA

Fee-Paid Work

• None

Shareholdings

• None

Clubs and organisations

• NFU member
• Royal Agriculture Society – Fellowship
• Nuffield Scholar – Fellowship

Other

• None

James Russell

Consultancies or direct employment

• Nottingham Vet School – Associate clinical professor
• Independent Veterinary Consultant
• SEMEX – Named veterinary surgeon
• Red Tractor NED

Fee-Paid Work

• None

Shareholdings

• Independent Vet Care

Clubs and organisations

• BVA
• BCVA
• Vetlife Helpline Volunteer and trustee
• MRCVS

Other

• None

John Reed

Consultancies or direct employment

• Avara Foods Ltd – Part-time Director
• Assured Food Standards – Board Member
• British Poultry Council – Board Member

Fee-Paid Work

• None

Shareholdings

• None

Clubs and organisations

• Farmers Club, Whitehall – Member
• Rare Breeds Survival Trust – Member
• Nuffield Scholar – Fellowship
• Royal Agricultural Society – Fellowship

Other

• None

Charles Sercombe

Consultancies or direct employment

• Sheep Farmer

Fee-Paid Work

• None

Shareholdings

• None

Clubs and Organisations

• None

Other

• Sheep Breeders Round Table – Chair
• AHWBE steering group and Chair of Legislation Task & Finish Group – Member
• NOAH Complaints Committee – Independent Farmer Member
• Carcase Classification Scrutiny Committee – Co-Chair
• Sheep Health & Welfare Group – Chair
• Ruminant Health and Welfare Group – Member
• RUMA targets task force – Represents sheep sector

Julia Wrathall

Consultancies or direct employment

• Crustacean Compassion – Consultancy work
• Morris Animal Foundation – Consultancy work

Fee-Paid Work

• Animal Welfare Committee – Member

Shareholdings

• None

Clubs and organisations

• RSPCA
• Dogs Trust
• Animal Welfare Research Network

Other

• Animal Welfare Research Network Stakeholders Advisory Board – Member
• Morris Animal Foundation Animal Welfare Advisory Board – Member
• Billingshurst Dog Training Club (registered with the Kennel Club) – Member and Instructor