§ Dr. David ClarkTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what criteria he uses to assess whether whales can be killed in an acceptable and humane manner; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. GummerAlthough there are no criteria in United Kingdom legislation, we believe that whales should be killed by methods which render them insensitive to pain or suffering until death supervenes. A special workshop, established by the International Whaling Commission to review humane killing methods, met recently in Glasgow and the results of the workshop will be considered by the Commission which meets on 29 June to 3 July. I look forward to receiving the advice of the Commission on these matters.
§ Dr. David ClarkTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what research his scientists(a) have carried out into the cruelty aspects of killing whales and (b) are conducting into methods of killing whales humanely; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. GummerNone. The United Kingdom has issued no licences for commercial whaling since 1963.
§ Dr. David ClarkTo ask the Minister of Agriculture. Fisheries and Food if he will list the resolutions the United Kingdom Government intend to(a) propose and (b) support at the International Whaling Commission meeting at the end of June.
§ Mr. GummerIt would be premature and inappropriate to list the resolutions which the United Kingdom intends to formulate, put forward or support at the meeting of the International Whaling Commission on 29 June to 3 July in advance of receiving the report of the IWC's scientific committee, the outcome of many working groups meeting between 24 and 27 June and our discussions within the Commission on an extensive range of agenda items.