HC Deb 28 June 1989 vol 155 c486W
32. Mr. Michael Brown

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps he is taking to safeguard the future of the African elephant.

77. Mr. William Powell

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will now recommend that the African elephant become an appendix I protected animal at the next meeting of CITES in October.

Mrs. Virginia Bottomley

We have introduced an immediate ban on the import of ivory into the United Kingdom pending the introduction of a Community wide ban, and have asked our European colleagues to support the case for transferring the African elephant from appendix 11 to appendix I of the convention on international trade in endangered species of fauna and flora (CITES). We shall play a full part in the discussions on this difficult and complex issue at the forthcoming conference of the parties to CITES.