To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will assess the merits of providing funding from the public purse for the purchase of electronic readers and software by livestock producers required to comply with electronic sheep tagging regulations. (295007)

DEFRA has no plans to fund any equipment or software required for compliance with electronic sheep tagging regulations (EID). However, some rural development funding may be available to support training for livestock producers to help prepare them for EID implementation, where such purposes are in line with regionally determined priorities.