The Government understands the need for a suitable deterrent but rejects the Committee’s recommendation as existing penalties are higher than suggested in evidence provided to the Committee. The Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966 makes it illegal to practice veterinary surgery without accreditation from the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, any updates made to legislation would maintain this. This is an either-way offence, so it is triable either summarily or on indictment. The fines on summary conviction for such offences in England and Wales were updated by the Magistrates’ Courts Act 1980 and the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012, so they now stand as unlimited. The maximum fine on summary conviction in Scotland has been increased to £10,000 by the Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1975 and the Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1995. In Northern Ireland, the maximum fine on summary conviction has been increased to £5,000 by the Fines and Penalties (Northern Ireland) Order 1984, as amended by the Criminal Justice (Northern Ireland) Order 1994. An offence can also be tried on indictment instead, which carries an unlimited fine.