§ Dr. David ClarkTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what steps he is taking to establish an inspection and enforcement service fully to enforce international wildlife controls as recommended in the report on international trade in wildlife;
(2) what is his estimate of the cost of implementing all the recommendations in the recent Joint Nature Conservation Committee report on international trade in wildlife as they apply to the trade in wild birds; and if he will make a statement;
(3) if he will introduce import taxes or charges for licence applications for traders of wild birds.
§ Mr. Trippier[holding answer 6 March 1992]: Implementation of many of the JNCC's recommendations, including those relating to inspection and enforcement and import taxes and charges, needs to be considered by the European Community as a whole. The European Commission's proposals for changes in the relevant Community legislation were published last month and we shall be consulting widely on them. Until agreement has been reached within the Community on the precise changes to be introduced, it will not be possible to estimate the total costs of implementation.