§ Mr. FearnTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his current policy on the ivory trade.
§ Mr. BaldryThe Government remain fully committed to maintaining the current ban on commercial trade in ivory for as long as it is necessary to ensure the survival and recovery of elephant populations. We would not support any proposals to permit trade to recommence unless we were fully satisfied that the conditions for a resumption of trade, drawn up at the seventh conference of the parties to the convention on international trade in endangered species (CITES) had been met.