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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what support she is providing to the (a) horseracing industry, (b) equine sector and (c) rural economy.

Horseracing is the only sport in receipt of a direct government-mandated levy which helps to drive improvements in the sport.

This year’s levy yield is set to be around £108 million which, if confirmed, exceeds the previous year's figure of £105 million.

The Secretary of State recently approved the request to put £1.15 million of levy funds towards the production costs of “Champions: Full Gallop” Series 2, which is designed to attract new fans to the sport. This sits alongside Great British Racing’s “The Going is Good” campaign which also received £3.62 million from the Levy Board.

There has been ministerial engagement between Defra and His Majesty’s Treasury to ensure that they are aware of the specific way British horseracing is funded and the potential implications of any changes to taxation.

Defra recognises the importance of the equine sector to the UK economy and acknowledges the value of a robust equine identification and traceability regime. The current system supports public health, disease outbreak management, and biosecurity. Biosecurity is also protected by the UK’s imports requirements and imports health certificates for equines.

The SPS agreement, outlined at the UK-EU Leader’s Summit on 19th May 2025, will establish a common Sanitary and Phytosanitary Area, aimed at facilitating the safe and efficient movement of trade. The SPS Agreement will cover sanitary rules and the regulation of live animals, including animal health conditions governing the movement and importation of Equidae. The SPS Agreement is built on a commitment for the UK to regulate consistently with the EU on specific SPS rules. Defra is currently working to establish what implementation of the SPS Agreement will involve for equines.

We know that rural areas offer significant potential for growth and are central to our economy, contributing over £240 billion a year to England alone. This government is committed to improving the quality of life for people living and working in rural areas, so that we can realise the full potential of rural business and communities.

The Spending Review settlement outlined support for the rural economy and protect the countryside. In addition to funding for sustainable farming and nature recovery, the government confirmed investment of over £1.9 billion over four years into broadband and 4G connectivity, and £2.3 billion of Local Transport Grant funding for smaller cities, towns and rural area. This funding addresses the key blockers to growth in rural areas.

Separately, Defra will confirm detailed allocations for other programmes through this round of business planning.