Watch back our Interview the Team with Professor The Lord Trees & Current intern Dr Harriet Davenport:

About the VPRF

Founded in 2013, The Veterinary Policy Research Foundation (VPRF) was set up by Lord Trees to provide a transparent legal and financial vehicle to employ an intern/researcher. The VPRF is a not-for-profit company registered with Companies House and is funded entirely by donations.

The Parliamentary Veterinary Intern is the sole employee of the VPRF, who works directly with Lord Trees,  providing him with both research and administrative support. To be effective, contributions to House of Lords’ business must be supported by evidence.  The Parliamentary Veterinary Intern’s output is therefore invaluable, and the impact of Lord Trees’s speeches, questions and publications attests to their worth.

The VPRF aims:

1. to scrutinise, revise and improve legislation
2. to raise awareness and inform discussions amongst Members of Parliament and Peers, of issues relating to Lord Trees’s registered interests in an objective, evidence-based way through oral and written questions, debates, All-Party Parliamentary Groups and committees
3. to enhance the profile of the veterinary profession, veterinary science and veterinary industry in parliament and the public arena
4. to provide feedback to the veterinary profession on the development of policy and the importance and means of influencing it
5. to create work experience opportunities and outreach work, to contribute to leadership training and widening participation across all levels of the profession and its related industries.

Career Development

It is intended that the VPRF internship also provides a career development opportunity for vets, and previous interns have gone on to have varied and interesting careers in both government departments (such as the APHA, Defra and the VMD) and at NGOs.

We offer a unique opportunity to work at the House of Lords alongside the only veterinarian in the House of Lords. The role offers insight into veterinary policy and the parliamentary process and is a chance for those interested in policy making, and the varied roles veterinarians contribute to society, to develop new skills during a unique career development opportunity.

The VPRF also allows for continuation of clinical practice alongside parliamentary work, as the intern’s role is has a 4-day week Monday – Thursday, only whilst the House of Lords is sitting (sitting dates follow a similar calendar to school term times).