§ Dr. StrangTo ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the horse population of the United Kingdom in each year since 1974.
§ Mrs. Gillian ShephardNo official figures are available for the total equine population but the agricultural departments periodically collect information on horses kept on agricultural holdings. Figures for the years of collection after 1973 are shown in the table:
Horses and ponies on agricultural and horticultural holdings in the United Kingdom Year '000 head1 1979 186 1983 2167 1990 2183 1992 2231 1993 3247 1 Figures include estimates for minor holdings for England and Wales but not for Scotland and Northern Ireland. 2 Excludes ponies in Northern Ireland. 3 Provisional. Source: June census for each year.