§ Mr. Phillip Oppenheimasked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has any plans to introduce legislation to increase the penalties for illegal trading in endangered birds; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. WaldegraveI have no plans to introduce legislation to increase the penalties imposed by section 21 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, section 4 of the Endangered Species (Import and Export) Act 1976, and regulation 3 of the Control of Trade in Endangered Species (Enforcement) Regulations 1985 for the illegal sale of endangered birds. The level of fines was increased in 1984.
§ Mr. Phillip Oppenheimasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will order an investigation into the conduct of an official in his Department, whose name has been supplied to him, in relation to alleged unlawful transactions involving endangered species of birds; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. WaldegraveI am aware of newspaper articles of 23 March and 30 March 1986 about a member of the Department's panel of voluntary wildlife inspectors. This panel provides on request expert advice and assistance in the identification and handling of wild flora and fauna, particularly birds. Its primary role is the inspection of the premises of those keeping certain species of registrable birds under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. In addition, members may be asked on occasion to provide expert advice and assistance to the enforcement agencies in their efforts to combat the criminal activities of taking birds from the wild and of smuggling.
I do not propose to order an investigation into the conduct of a member of the panel on the basis of these newspaper articles alone. If any person has evidence of criminal or improper behaviour by any member of the panel, the proper course is to place full details of that evidence before the police or the Department.