French diet demands horse passports

About 1m worth of British horse flesh is sold abroad every year for human consumption, but French officials are horrified by the importation of mares and stallions which have been given medicine that could make them unfit to eat.

The Scottish Executive has confirmed that all horses north of the Border will be covered by EU regulations which control the transport of cows, sheep and pigs to the Continent.

It will mean every horse being fitted with a microchip and issued with its own passport. Owners face bills of up to 100 per animal to provide the passport, listing any past illnesses and medication taken.

Yesterday a senior vet warned that thousands of horse owners would refuse to comply unless they received government subsidies.

Professor Sandy Love, head of the equine welfare and sports horse injuries unit at Glasgow University, said: "The cost of farm animal passports was funded by government at a cost of millions, and has been sustained by government funding.

"But the horse is perceived to be a luxury item owned by a particular socio-economic group. I don’t think that is the reality, however."

In February, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs minister Alun Michael said that passports would be introduced in England and Wales by December 2003. The Scottish Executive has now confirmed it will follow suit.

The British Equestrian Federation has been asked to devise a scheme and will issue details next month.

Professor Love, who is president of the British Equine Veterinary Association, said it backed the move because it could prevent the spread of contagious diseases. "In my personal view it would not be a bad thing if the trade in horse for human consumption is stopped.

"But there are good spin-offs from the passport idea. At the moment we don’t know how many horses there are, where they are or who owns them, and the first step to have proper control in the health and disease among animals would be knowing where they are."

Yesterday a spokesman for the Scottish Executive said: "We wholeheartedly endorse the principles of this regulation and what it is trying to achieve."

He said the cost would be less than 100, although no final figure had been agreed.