Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the effect of new EU trading relations on the ease with which horses can be imported and exported from 1 January 2021.

New requirements for the importation and exportation of horses and other equines have been set out on GOV.UK (see below links) and have been frequently communicated to maximise the preparedness of horse owners, keepers, and transporters.

The equine industry will need to adapt to the new rules, but the Government has worked closely with industry representatives to help it prepare for the coming changes to facilitate the continued movement of equines into and out of the UK.

Requirements for exporting horses: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/export-horses-and-ponies-special-rules

Requirements for importing horses: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/import-horses-and-ponies-from-1-january-2021