§ 9. Mr. Harry GreenwayTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if, pursuant to his answer of 5 May, Official Report, column 588, he will take steps to increase the use of horses as agricultural animals.
§ Mr. GummerIt is up to individual farmers to decide how they shall use their horses as agricultural animals. I recently addressed a conference to promote what I think is a very important aspect of farming.
§ Mr. GreenwayIs my right hon. Friend aware that Britain is the only EEC country not to recognise the horse as an agricultural animal? Is he further aware of the damage that that does to racing, breeding, bloodstock, riding and driving in this country? What animal could be more agricultural than a horse?
§ Mr. DevlinA chicken?
§ Mr. Tim SmithA pig?
§ Mr. GreenwayI do not think so.
Will my right hon. Friend take steps to have the horse recognised as an agricultural animal, as it will be in 1992?
§ Mr. GummerMy hon. Friend must accept that a horse is an agricultural animal when it is an agricultural animal. When it is running in the Derby, it clearly is not an agricultural animal, and we intend to keep it so.