§ 43. Mrs. Joyce Butlerasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations have been made to him that the import of sperm whale oil should no longer be permitted; what has been his reply, and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. BishopI have received a number of letters and petitions from conservation societies and others on this point. My reply has been that sperm oil should continue to be exempt from the ban on the import of whale products since stocks of sperm whales are not in danger of over-exploitation and because certain industries would face difficulties if it were not imported.
At its recent annual meeting, the International Whaling Commission adopted new procedures for the rational management of whale stocks which are designed to ensure that the stocks of all species are properly maintained. The United Kingdom itself ceased whaling in 1963.