The Marquess TOWNSHENDMy Lords, I beg to ask His Majesty's Government the question on the Order Paper standing in my name.
§ [The question was as follows:
§ To ask His Majesty's Government whether their attention has been called to recent criticisms of the administration of the National Stud with particular reference to the sale of certain horses; what is the general policy followed by the Stud for promoting the improvement of British bloodstock; and what is the Stud doing for the benefit of small breeders.]
111§ The JOINT PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY, MINISTRY of AGRICULTURE and FISHERIES (THE EARL OFHuntingdon)My Lords, the recent criticisms to which the noble Lord refers have been brought to the notice of His Majesty's Government. I am happy to have this opportunity of replying. The policy which has been consistently pursued is that the Stud should be maintained on the lines best suited to help to maintain the supremacy of the British thoroughbred, and that it shall be managed primarily with that object in view. The Stud is not run as a profit-making enterprise, but is managed financially so that, in the long run, it shall be self-supporting. In general the management of the Stud is along the same lines as those on which other high-class studs are managed. I should like to say, in this connexion, that five classic winners in the last five years have been bred at the Stud. This is some evidence, I suggest, that the breeding policy has been on the right lines.
Such fillies as the Stud produces are retained, if they are needed to maintain the famous racing strains of blood in the Stud, and surplus fillies are sold to enable private breeders to strengthen their stock. Representatives of other famous lines are purchased, and these with the fillies retained, form a nucleus of the best lines of blood, to be kept within the Stud. Colts which are considered to have a potential stallion value are retained. A colt which proved successful in its racing career may be kept to stand at a fee within the reach of the small breeder. Surplus colts are sold, normally by public auction.
In conformity with this policy, the Stud has at present one stallion, Big Game. This stallion is the grandson of Blandford, bred at the Stud, who sired four Derby winners. The Minister hopes to retain an additional stallion which might cater more for the needs of the smaller breeder, but Blue Train, over whose sale there has been some criticism, was not considered suitable for retention for this purpose. Apart from the proposed addition of a stallion of less excellent quality than Big Game, the Stud now assists the smaller breeder by charging a lower fee for service by Big Game than would be justified by his merit. A proportion of nominations to Big Game are reserved for ballot, so that any breeder, 112 large or small, with a mare to be covered, has a chance of securing a nomination at a very reasonable fee.