§ Sir T. Mooreasked the Home Secretary whether he is aware that according to the Tenth Annual Report of the Racecourse Betting Control Board, allocations from the totalisator fund included £158,850 for the improvement of racecourses and racing and only £16,150 for the improvement of all breeds of horses; and whether, in view of the fact that his approval is necessary for all allocations from the totalisator fund, he can state why approximately ten times as much is allocated to the improvement of racecourses and racing, as to the improvement of horse-breeding?
§ Mr. PeakeI would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given on the 22nd June to questions by the hon. and gallant Member for Howdenshire (Major Carver) and the hon. Member for Henley (Sir G. Fox).
§ Sir T. Mooreasked the Home Secretary whether he is aware that, according to the tenth annual report of the Racecourse Betting Control Board, allocations from the totalisator fund included £ 158,850 for the improvement of racecourses and racing, and only £ 16,150 for the improvement of all breeds of horses; if he can indicate how much of this latter amount was allocated to the improvement of horse-breeding in Scotland; and whether he can ensure that in future more 650W generous allocations are made for this purpose, and in particular to encourage the breeding of Clydesdale draught-horses?
§ Mr. PeakeAs regards the first part of the question, I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply I have just given to question No. 72.
As regards the second part, the board have supplied my right hon. Friend with the following information:
The grants made by the board from the surplus in the Totalisator Fund at the 31st December, 1938, towards the improvement of horse-breeding and the advancement and encouragement of veterinary science and education in Scotland are as follows:
Improvement of Breeds of Horses.
£600 to the Hunters' Improvement and National Light Horse Breeding Society—for four premiums of £150 each for stallions travelling in Scotland.
£75 to the National Pony Society—for two premiums of £37 10s. each for stallions of Highland breed.
Of the grant of £ 1,000 to the Royal Agricultural Society of England for the purpose of increasing the prizes at the Society's Centenary Show in 1939, £35 was in respect of a new class for Clydesdale fillies born in 1938, £90 was for prizes for Shetland ponies, and £21 was for prizes for a new class of Dales, Fell or Highland ponies.
No fresh grant was made to the Clydesdale Horse Society in 1938, because, as explained in paragraph 32 of the board's report for that year, a substantial part of the grant of £500 made in 1937 was still unexpended.
Veterinary Science and Education.
The £1,500 granted to the Agricultural Research Council towards the cost of investigation into the various diseases and disorders of horses will be applied in assisting inter alia research work at the Moredun Institution and the Royal (Dick) Veterinary College, Edinburgh.
£750 was granted to the Royal (Dick) Veterinary College, Edinburgh, towards the building fund.
£ 500 was granted to the Glasgow Veterinary College towards the cost of miscroscopes
651WIt should be noted that the sum of £ 16,150 mentioned in the question includes £ 4,500 allocated towards the advancement and encouragement of veterinary science and education. The board assure my right hon. Friend that they will be glad to consider any suggestions which may be made to them for giving further assistance towards horse-breeding in Scotland.