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

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the value to the UK economy of the horse racing industry.

The Government recognises the important role that horseracing makes to British culture and its important contribution to the economy, particularly in rural areas.

According to the British Horseracing Authority, the industry is worth over £4 billion to the economy in direct, indirect, and associated expenditure every year. With over 20,000 people directly employed across the 59 licensed racecourses, training yards and thousands of breeding operations.