§ Mr. Tony BanksTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement regarding the policy of Her Majesty's Government on the proposal being made by certain countries for coastal whaling.
§ Mr. CurryOur policy towards all forms of commercial whaling—including coastal whaling—has been clear and consistent. We shall not even contemplate the lifting of the present moratorium on commercial whaling—which was agreed by the International Whaling Commission and which came into effect in 1985–86—until we are fully satisfied that whale stocks are proved to be at healthy levels; methods used to take whales are humane; and effective procedures for the management of whale stocks and for their enforcement are in place.
§ Mr. Tony BanksTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what statements were made by the British International Whaling Commission Commissioner at the special meeting in Madrid of 19 February in respect of Her Majesty's Government's policies towards the possible resumption of commercial whaling;
(2) what protests he made at the exclusion of the International Whaling Commission commissioners from France, Ireland and New Zealand from the invitees to the special meeting held in Madrid on 19 February;
(3) who initiated the special meeting between (a) Japan and (b) Norway and various International Whaling Commission commissioners held in Madrid on 19 February; who decided which countries were to be invited; and what decisions were made.
§ Mr. CurryAt the invitation of the vice-chairman of the International Whaling Commission, a meeting of a number of IWC commissioners was held in Madrid on 17 and 18 February. IWC commissioners from Australia, Chile, Denmark, Germany, Japan, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, the United Kingdom and the USA were present. 713W Neither the UK nor other contracting parties to the commissioner have "protested" about the meeting itself or those nations invited to it. The meeting was purely informal. A range of issues was discussed, including the revised management scheme, whale sanctuaries, small cetaceans and their management, and aboriginal whaling. No decisions were reached. The discussions enabled the UK to explain its policies, set out at the 44th meeting of the commission in Glasgow, and since.