§ Lord Melchettasked Her Majesty's Government:
What steps they have taken to persuade Norway and the other countries which entered reservations against the introduction of a ban on the use of the 749WA cold harpoon to kill minke whales in 1982–83 to accept the decision in favour of a ban taken at this year's meeting of the International Whaling Commission, in view of the fact that this decision was strongly supported by the Government.
Earl FerrersWe have taken and will continue to take every suitable opportunity to persuade these countries to adopt the same view as the United Kingdom on the desirability of banning the use of the "cold" harpoon. Our views have been made clear, not only at this year's annual meeting of the International Whaling Commission (IWC), but subsequently in bilateral discussions with other members of the IWC. I regret, however, that in the last few days the Governments of Iceland, Japan and Norway have formally objected to the ban on the use of the "cold" harpoon which was adopted at the 1981 annual meeting of the IWC.