§ Mr. Lomasasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will seek to ensure that the sperm whale is listed in Appendix I of the Washington Convention dealing with endangered species.
§ Mr. Marks:No. Advice which I have received from my right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, who has the overall responsibility for whale conservation, does not suggest that the status of the sperm whale is such that it satisfies the criteria for inclusion in Appendix I to the Washington Convention.