§ Mr. Peter BottomleyTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will itemise the legislation of the last 10 years at national and EC levels which has implemented the EC agreement to ban the importation of seal products.
§ Mr. YeoRelevant legislation is as follows
EC directive 83/129, which required member states to ban the importation of the skins of whitecoat pups of harp seals and pups of hooded seals—blue-backs—or articles made from them, for a period of two years from 1 October 1983;the Endangered Species (Import and Export) Act 1976 (Modification) Order 1983 (No. 1609), which implemented the directive by adding skins of harp and hooded seals to schedule 3 to the Act;EC directive 85/444, which extended the ban on importation to 1 October 1989;the Endangered Species (Import and Export) Act 1976 (Variation) Order 1985 (No. 1502), which restricted indefinitely the import and export of skins and skin articles;EC directive 89/370, which extended the ban on importation indefinitely.
§ Mr. Peter BottomleyTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has received on moves to allow the importation of seal products into the United Kingdom and other parts of the EC.
§ Mr. YeoI understand that the European Commission may propose the amalgamation of a number of measures, including the EC directive which bans the importation of certain seal products. We shall consider the implications of any such proposals very carefully.