§ Mr. Stephen Rossasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if whales' teeth are controlled imports; if he will clarify the statement in his Department's Notice to Importers and Exporters of 15th December 1975, relating to conservation controls on animals and plants 459W and their derivatives, at paragraph 13, that present controls on whale products and plumage will also be unchanged; and if whales' teeth were controlled imports before 1st January 1976.
§ Mr. MarksImports of whales' teeth were brought under control on 1st January 1976. Prior to that date they were not controlled.
The Notice to Importers and Exporters to which the hon. Member refers listed among the items controlled the teeth of any animal. Paragraph 13 of the explanatory notes merely drew attention to the retention, unchanged of the existing controls on whale products and plumage.
No licence to import whales' teeth has so far been issued by my Department.