Question to the Home Office:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Bates on 8 June (HL172), what is the proportion of the work of police horses (1) in operational activity such as crime prevention and maintaining public safety, and (2) in ceremonial activity.

There is no formal assessment process to determine the utility of police animals, how resources are deployed is an operational matter which rightly rests with chief officers. The contribution of police horses remains important and the Home Office corresponds with the relevant national policing lead on an ad-hoc basis to stay apprised of their views. The most recent contact by my officials was this month and the merits of mounted policing remain unchanged.

The Home Office does not record this information, how police horses are used is a matter for chief officers to determine.