§ 35. Mr. Tony BanksTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make it his policy to destroy publicly all ivory stocks seized by Her Majesty's Customs and Excise.
§ Mr. Ryder[holding answer 14 December 1989]: No. I do not think that it would be sensible to commit Customs to a policy of invariably destroying, whether in public or not, all ivory seized by it as illegally imported. I shall, however, ensure that it continues to dispose of all such goods in a manner acceptable to me and to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment, who has overall responsibility for endangered species policy in the United Kingdom. Certainly, none will be disposed of in a way that offends current conservation principles.