To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many horses entered the UK with no requirement for a UK passport in the latest year for which figures are available; what his latest assessment is of the effectiveness of horse passports and the National Equine Database; and if he will make a statement. (324880)

Information is not collected on the number of horses entering the UK without a valid passport. Horse passports legislation requires any horse without a valid passport to have an application submitted to an EU-approved issuing body within 30 days of arrival in the UK.

The National Equine Database contains details of all horse passports issued and amended in the UK. Information is uploaded on a monthly basis.