Dr Neil Hudson MP - the only veterinary surgeon in the Commons - spoke in a debate on the movement of sport horses in support of a bolstered digital ID system and closer international cooperation.
Dr Hudson's comments came during a House of Commons debate on the 'impact of import and export controls on the sport horse industry' which sought to find equitable solutions for the £4 billion per annum sector and delve into the nuances of the debate.
This follows a report by the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee, on which Dr Hudson sits, which considered how pets, horses and livestock can better move between Great Britain, Northern Ireland and Europe following the UK's exit from the European Union. You can read the full report here.
Mark Spencer, DEFRA Minister, thanked Dr Hudson not only for his intervention but for his expert work in the area. The Minister then explained policy areas where Dr Hudson's input had made a distinct impact such as, exemptions for certain high health horses from low risk countries; contingency measures for chilled germinal products used for breeding for which transport is very time sensitive; and a reduction of administration with bolstered border control post infrastructure specifically for sport horses.
You can read the Minister's full speech here in which he unpacks Government moves to better allow the British horse sector to flourish.
Dr Hudson is supportive of the Minister's actions, and believes only the Conservatives can go further and is urging for closer cooperation between France, Ireland and the UK which would remove a significant amount of red tape for verified and trusted racehorse owners. Moreover he is keen to implement a more comprehensive industry-wide digital equine ID system which again would facilitate safer movement of animals across borders.
Dr Neil Hudson MP said:
"As I've said time and again, taking control of our own biosecurity is a crucial step towards making our nation safer and more prosperous.
"Moreover we now have the opportunity to move away from the EU's rigid systems meaning that we can support the multi billion pound horse industry sector by making exceptions for high health horses. I look forward to working closely with our Conservative Government to go even further in making horse import and export smoother and safer."
In Parliament : Dr Neil Hudson MP said:
"The Minister will be aware that a couple of years ago the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee published our report on the movement of animals across borders. There is a balance between allowing the smooth movement of animals and protecting the biosecurity of our animals in the UK. We looked at the key issues of trying to replicate the tripartite arrangement, which allowed for the smooth movement of high-health horses between the UK, France and Ireland, and progressing the digital identification system for horses, both of which would allow smooth but safe movement. Government progress in those areas would help to protect our industries and our biosecurity."
DEFRA Minister, Sir Mark Spencer MP, replied:
"I am grateful to my hon. Friend for his intervention and for his work in this subject area. He is very informed on these matters and the House benefits a great deal from his expertise. We will continue to work with the sector. We want to have as much freedom of movement as possible, but in a way that protects our biosecurity. I am sure there will be more opportunity for us to benefit from my hon. Friend’s expertise as we find solutions to the challenges."
