§ Sir L. Ropnerasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many horses and ponies were imported into the United Kingdom from Eire and Northern Ireland during the year 1958.
§ Mr. John HareI can only give my hon. and gallant Friend figures collected by my Department in the course of the administration of the Diseases of Animals Act and of Orders made under it. These figures do not include animals entering Great Britain by air.
During 1958, 1,493 horses (including donkeys and ponies) from Northern Ireland and 5,029 from the Republic of Ireland were landed at approved sea ports in Great Britain. A considerable proportion of these were horses for breeding, racing or exhibition, either returning to Great Britain or entering Great Britain temporarily.