§ Mr. Michael Lathamasked the Prime Minister, in view of the fact that the Secretary of State for the Environment is responsible for laying before Parliament orders to control the import of live crocodiles, and the Secretary of State for Trade is responsible for the granting of import licences for any cases which receive the approval of the Advisory 388W Committee on the Importation of Animals, if he will transfer responsibility for both policy and implementation to one Department.
§ The Prime MinisterThere is a good case for transferring this licensing responsibility to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment who is responsible for the policy, and I hope to do this when we implement the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora later this year.