Use this link - http://findyourmp.parliament.uk/ - to find out who your local MP is, follow the link to their website and contact them through thereDear ...xx...
I wish to draw your attention to DEFRA's plans to close the National Equine Database (NED) at the end of September 2012. The NED is a very valuable resource to me and to other members of the equestrian world.
The current horse passport legislation is founded on EC504/2008 and there are two relevant sections about databases.
Article 21(3) describes the data that must be contained in the passport and on the issuing organisations database, this is often referred to as 'Mandatory Data'
Article 23 describes how each member state should make provision for a central database into which each PIO must feed their mandatory data and the linking and interrogation of those databases between member states.
In all discussions with DEFRA they were always at pains to point out that their bargain with the horse industry only covered the long term funding of a central database to meet their legal obligations under mandatory data and that any additional data and functionality should be the responsibility of the central database to self-finance its future capability.
By closing the database, Defra are making AHOs difficult job almost impossible if they cannot check a passport 24/7
Horse buyers will no longer be able to check if the horse at a Saturday auction or one they travel to try at weekend, has a genuine passport and a competition record
Closing NED opens up the gateway to more fraud whereas NED has made it more difficult for dodgy horse dealers
The Horsewatch network suffers as a direct result with the loss of the Lost and Stolen section, therefore losing a vital resource
Tracing lost horses eg those sold on loan and re-passported will be much more difficult without NED.
Without a database, how will horses be traced in the event of serious disease outbreak?
France, Denmark, Netherlands, Germany and Spain all have equine databases which work. Surely the UK horse industry is equally worthy in terms of employment and finance particularly now after the olympic medals won by the Equestrian Team GB riders
The Olympics did a wonderful job of highlighting just how great the Equestrian Team GB riders are and how good the facilities are that we have here. For Defra to announce the closure of NED in the middle of the Olympics is an absolute kick in the teeth. At the very least, DEFRA should have put in place an alternative to NED before deciding to pull the plug.
DEFRA should honour its agreed and legal obligation to fund a central database for mandatory data and allow it to function to meet ancillary objectives for lost/stolen horses and disease control.
Yours sincerely,
Trisha Grant
Tracing Equines
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You can use my letter if you wish but change my details to yours
" Those in London should also write to Boris and say that his ideas for getting the country moving will NOT be helped by the Government clamping down on projects which are designed to boost the economy and boosting British Bred Horses will, after these Olympic results, push UK exports as overseas riders look to the UK for premier competition horses. "
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