Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to help ensure the long-term conservation of Dartmoor's hill ponies.

Defra supports the long-term conservation of livestock and equines, including the Dartmoor Hill pony, by monitoring populations of pedigree livestock including native breeds which are published in an annual UK National Breed inventory and by protecting eligible native breeds at risk from culling during notifiable disease outbreaks.

Through the expanded offer for Sustainable Farming Incentive 2024, keepers of Dartmoor Hill Ponies on Dartmoor can also claim payment for grazing under the native breeds at risk supplement and pony/cattle grazing supplement.