§ Mr. HardyTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what action he is taking to prevent trade in endangered species in the United Kingdom; and if he has any plans for new initiatives.
§ Mrs. Virginia Bottomley[holding answer 25 May 1989]: The United Kingdom complies fully with the requirements of EC regulation 3626 which implements the convention on international trade in endangered species within the European Community. Our most recent initiative is to call for concerted European support for a total ban on trade in new ivory. We shall do this at the next Council meeting of Environment Ministers on 8 June.
§ Mr. HardyTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what quantity of ivory from the African elephant is currently held or has recently been held at Heathrow airport awaiting retrospective import clearance; what information he has as to whether this ivory was obtained in breach of the convention on international trade on endangered species; and what action he proposes to take.
§ Mrs. Virginia Bottomley[holding answer 25 May 1989]: I understand from Her Majesty's Customs and Excise that details of individual consignments cannot be released where Customs action is not yet completed.
§ Mr. HardyTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment why he recently allowed the delivery to the United Kingdom of several tons of African elephant tusks originally obtained in contravention of the convention on international trade on endangered species.
§ Mrs. Virginia Bottomley[holding answer 25 May 1989]: The Department has allowed no such delivery. 92W Under the convention on international trade in endangered species it is the Department's responsibility to issue import and export permits for ivory. We do so only with the agreement of the CITES secretariat ivory unit in Lausanne, Switzerland and when we are satisfied that the requirements of EC regulation 3226/82 have been met.