Livestock Grazing on Dartmoor National Park

Baroness Whitaker Excerpts

Thursday 18th June 2026 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Whitaker (Lab)]

My Lords, could not some of these ponies be sent to the South Downs National Park, where I declare I live, so that they could eat the tussocky grass, thus allowing the natural grassland to regenerate? This has been done in the past and it has been very successful.

[Lord Katz (Lab)]

I thank my noble friend for that. I will not direct the movement of ponies or any other livestock from this Dispatch Box, but it is an interesting idea. I am sure that Natural England and lots of people on Dartmoor—commoners, graziers and others—would like to keep all their ponies there. But it is an interesting idea.