Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what representations he has received from the racing industry on potential disruption to race meetings as a result of an incompatibility of quarantine rules between the UK, Ireland and France in the event of the UK leaving the EU without a deal.

The Government maintains regular contact with the equine industry, including the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) and the Thoroughbred Breeders Association, to discuss the challenges and opportunities facing the racing industry when the UK leaves the EU.

The rules for importing equines on day one in the event of no deal will remain the same in principle, so we do not anticipate that racing or competition will be significantly adversely affected. However in the event of no deal, the UK will no longer be part of the Tripartite Agreement (TPA), which is a derogation of EU law and allows streamlined movement of some horses between Ireland, France and the UK. The industry is aware of this potential change and has increased their preparations in the event that the UK leaves the EU without a deal.

The EU is set to introduce ‘Smarter Rules for Safer Food’ in April 2021. This will streamline animal movement rules and may include the replacement of the TPA. The equine industries of France, Ireland and the UK, have proposed to the European Commission that any replacement for the TPA introduced in 2021 be extended to cover equines of a high health status from third countries. The Government is supporting this proposal, as it would allow the UK to retain the benefits of the TPA once we leave the EU. Governments of France and Ireland are also supportive.