Mr. Martin Blake:

Horses get an individual assessment. They are presented to the veterinary inspector for ante-mortem inspection, and at that stage traceability checks are undertaken. There is a scan for a microchip and a check to ensure the animal matches its passport. There is a cross-check with the central database to ensure the microchip relates to the horse. There is verification that the horse presented is on the central database and is not excluded from the food chain. There is a clinical assessment of the horse's fitness for slaughter.