§ Angela SmithTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much elephant ivory was seized by HM Customs and Excise in the years (a) 1998, (b) 1999 and (c) 2000 to date; and (i) where each shipment originated, (ii) where each shipment was destined, (iii) which shipments were (1) in transit through the United Kingdom and (2) had the United Kingdom as the final intended destination, and (iv) what indication in each of these was of whether the ivory was less than one year old when seized. [109574]
§ Dawn PrimaroloCustoms seized 378 items of ivory in 1998 and 15 items of ivory in the first nine months of 1999. Figures for the latter part of 1999, and the first part of this year are not yet available. The following tables set out the number of individual items of ivory seized in each category for the years in question. Customs do not hold central statistics on the age of the ivory when seized, or the number of ivory items found illegally in transit through the United Kingdom, though items in transit would normally be seized.
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Worked Ivory seizures 1998 (UK) Item Number of items Country of export Country of origin Commercial or private Ivory jewellery 3 Ghana — Private Ivory figures 2 Singapore — Commercial Ivory pendants 3 Egypt — Private Ivory pendants 3 Egypt — Private Carved ivory elephants 4 Malawi — Private Carved ivory figure 1 Canada — Private Whale bone statue with ivory inserts 1 USA — Private Ivory bangle 1 India — Private Ivory jewellery 18 Mozambique — Private Ivory figures 2 USA — Private Ivory necklaces 2 India — Private Sitar-instrument containing ivory 1 India India Private Ivory elephant figure 3 — — Private Ivory figure 4 Malawi — Private Carved ivory 17 Ivory Coast — Commercial Ivory bracelet 1 — — Private Ivory picture 1 Ivory Coast — Private Worked ivory 8 — — Private Pianos with ivory keys 24 — — Private Ivory earrings 4 Germany — Private Ivory figures 2 Hong kong — Private Ivory ornament 1 USA — Private Ivory pendant 1 — Thailand Private
Worked Ivory seizures 1999 (UK) Item: Number of items Country of export Country of origin Commercial or private Ivory necklace 1 Nigeria — Private Carved ivory tusks 2 Belgium — Private Knives with ivory inserts 2 South Africa South Africa Private Necklace with ivory 1 — — Private Carved whalebone statue with ivory inserts 1 USA — Private Carved ivory letter opener 1 Austria — Private Statues containing ivory 2 Jamaica — Private Ornament containing ivory 1 Egypt — Private Necklace with ivory beads 1 UK — Private
Raw Ivory seizures 1998 Item: Number of items Country of export Country of origin Commercial or private Ivory tusk 1 — South Africa Private Ivory tusk 1 — South Africa Private Ivory tusk 1 — South Africa Private Elephant ivory tusk 2 — Kenya Private Ivory 2 South Africa — Private Elephant tusk (loxodonta africana) 1 Zimbabwe — Private Ivory tusks 2 — — Private Ivory tusks 3 Gabon — Private Elephant ivory tusks 1 Congo — Private Ivory tusks 4 Nigeria — Private Ivory 1 Ghana — Private Ivory pieces 12 Zambia — Commercial Ivory 4 Kenya — Private Elephant tusks 6 — — Commercial Ivory pieces 18 Kenya — Private Elephant tusk 1 — — Private Ivory item 1 — — Private 450W
Raw Ivory seizures 1999 Item: Number of items Country of export Country of origin Commercial or private Elephant tusk 1 France — Private Ivory tusk 1 — — Private Elephant tusk 1 — — Private