§ Mr. Hoosonasked the Secretary of State for Defence how many horses are maintained in the Armed Forces; what is the annual cost of maintenance of these horses; what is the annual cost of replacement; and what is their military significance.
§ Mr. ReynoldsAbout 675, most of them by the Army. The annual cost of military and civilian personnel wholly engaged in their care and training is £80,000; their forage costs £60,000, their shoes, harnessing and other equipment £18,000; and it costs £17,000 a year to replace them.
More than 400 of the horses are used for ceremonial, mostly in London, and 130 for equitation and remount; the rest are used for transport, police duties and patrolling.