§ Mr. Tony BanksTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment who will be attending the Conference in Trade on Endangered Species meeting in Japan on 2 March as representatives of Her Majesty's Government.
§ Mr. BaldryI shall attend the meeting from 9 to 13 March. From 2 March the United Kingdom will also be represented by three officials from the Department, two officials from the Joint Nature Conservation Committee and one from each of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. Three members of the Hong Kong Conference in Trade on Endangered Species Management Authority will also be on the United Kingdom delegation.
§ Mr. Tony BanksTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if Her Majesty's Government will resist any attempts to re-open world trade in leopard skins, cheetah skins, black rhino and elephant products due to be discussed at the Conference in Trade on Endangered Species meeting in Japan on 2 March.
§ Mr. BaldryOn the question of elephants, I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Norfolk, North-West (Mr. Bellingham) on 19 February 1992,Official Report, column 202. The Government are also opposed to any action that could re-open trade in products from rhinoceroses, cheetahs and leopards.