§ 3. Mr. Tony BanksTo ask the President of the Board of Trade how many animal traps were exported from the United Kingdom in each of the last three years.
§ The Minister for Trade (Mr. Richard Needham)The information requested is not available from official sources.
§ Mr. BanksMay I remind the Minister that in this country we still manufacture snares—which slaughter large numbers of wild animals—and leg traps? I know that the Minister is an animal lover; is it not inconsistent that leg traps, whose use is illegal in this country, should be exported, and will he close that loophole?
§ Mr. NeedhamI hear what the hon. Gentleman says. He will know, however, that the Department of Trade and Industry is not responsible for the design of animal traps, which is the responsibility of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, and that the Department of the Environment is responsible for United Kingdom policy within the European Union. I shall pass on the hon. Gentleman's comments to my right hon. Friends in those Departments.
§ Mr. Bill WalkerDoes my hon. Friend agree that, in many parts of the world, rodents and other pests cost countries immense amounts of money, and also have a tremendous impact on food sources? Is it not good, therefore, that British manufacturers are supplying equipment to deal with the problem?
§ Mr. NeedhamI hear what my hon. Friend says. I understand, however, that there are no significant exports of such traps from this country.