A few weeks ago, local MP Greg Barker paid a visit to the Brownbread Centre. He was accompanied by his pony-mad daughter, Cordelia and shown round the Centre by Trustees, Tony and Dinty.

Mr Barker was having a debate in the House of Commons on the following Wednesday regarding his strong stance on the prevention of live horse exports from the UK. The visit to the sanctuary provided an opportunity to discuss the issues involved and also the controversial EU legislation of horse passports.

Horse passports are due to become law in June this year and Tony explained the enormous financial burden this would have on the Charity where up to 70 or 80 equines would be required to have passports. He gave the MP a letter which pointed out that Charity funds were raised for the welfare and prevention of abuse of equines and that horse passports were outside this remit as they are being implemented for the protection and health of humans.

The EU requirement for passports arises because horse meat is eaten on the continent and there is a requirement to have a record of what drugs individual horses may have been given to prevent these chemicals getting into the human food chain.

Mr Barker argues that the Government has the power to maintain the ban on live exports. However, despite a 65,000 petition to support the ban, they have not taken up the EU option available to individual member states to stop the live horse exports. During one question time in the Commons Tony Blair appeared to be unbriefed about the petition or the option available to the government to opt out from the EC requirement that would allow live exports.

It was revealed last year that some salami sold in the UK contained horsemeat. If live horse exports are allowed to go ahead campaigners argue that many horses and ponies will face a miserable journey to southern Europe to be slaughtered for salami that could end up back on our tables.