§ Mr. Hardyasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received about the keeping of polar bears in captivity; and if he will make it his policy that this practice should be discouraged at least where breeding is unlikely to be achieved.
§ Mrs. RumboldI have received representations only from my hon. Friend the Member for Plymouth, Drake (Miss Fookes) and I would refer the hon. Member to my answer of Tuesday 15 April 1986, at column 335, and to my subsequent letter to my hon. Friend the Member for Drake on 30 April, which I have placed in the Library.
The decision to keep polar bears in captivity is one for the individual zoo operators to make; conditions regulating their keeping may be imposed via licences issued by local authorities under the Zoo Licensing Act 1981, to ensure adequate standards.