§ Mr. Tony BanksTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the current in place staffing level of the special task force set up by the Hong Kong customs and excise service; and if there are any plans to increase staffing levels.
§ Mr. Waldegrave[holding answer 9 July 1990]: The special task force set up by the Hong Kong customs and excise department has a staff of 12, responsible for gathering intelligence, scrutinising manifests, and conducting follow-up investigations on ivory seizures. There are no plans at present to increase its size; the allocation of additional resources will be considered if required.