THE DUKE OF ATHOLLasked Her Majesty's Government:
What is the cost of operating Sections 2 and 3 of the Horse Breeding Act 1958; what is the number of stallions (divided into pony, thoroughbred and others) licensed under the above Sections, and what is the number of stallions for which a licence or permit has been refused during the last five years.
LORD ST. OSWALDThe cost of operating Sections 2 and 3 of the Horse Breeding Act is not readily separable from that of operating Section 7, since inspections arise under all three. The total cost of operating these three sections last year, in Great Britain as a whole, is estimated at a little over £8,000, towards which £322 was received in fees.
794WAThe average number of stallions licensed in each of the past five years is 283 divided into 142 ponies and cobs, 29 thoroughbreds, and 112 others. An average of 13 permits per year were issued in the same period (all in England and Wales) but many of these were later replaced by licences. Licences or permits were refused for an average of 35 stallions per year.
These figures mean that an average of 318 first inspections per year were made. In addition an average of 806 reinspections were made; revocations of licences as a result of these reinspections averaged 4 per year.