Rhinoceroses (Hansard, 24 March 1993)

§ Mr. Tony Banks
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what action he is proposing to protect remaining numbers of rhinoceroses in Africa and Asia;
(2) what financial assistance he has offered to the International Rhinoceros Foundation to assist in its programme to conserve rhinoceroses;
(3) what financial support he intends to give to the United Nations environment programme and convention on international trade in endangered species to protect the remaining number of rhinoceroses.

§ Mr. Maclean
The Government recognise the need for urgent action and have made a major contribution to international efforts to save rhinoceroses from extinction. My Department works closely with the Overseas Development Administration, through which major financial support for conservation overseas is given, and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.
My Department has not received any requests from the International Rhinoceroses Foundation for financial assistance, but we are currently funding wildlife projects abroad worth £18 million and many of these will benefit rhinos. In addition, since 1990, we have committed £167,200 to projects which aim to protect the rhino, including £33,600 specifically for a project in Tanzania. Further, we have recently provided £20,000 for rhino de-horning operations in Zimbabwe and have given financial support to TRAFFIC, an organisation monitoring the trade in rhino horn.
The United Nations Environment Programme and the CITES secretariat are planning a major international conference in Nairobi in June. This is intended to develop a long-term strategy for saving the rhino from extinction, based on conservation plans drawn up by rhino range states. We have already promised to provide £5,000 to help delegates from the rhino range states attend the conference 631W and a further £20,000 for rhino conservation projects. We shall consider making further contributions on the basis of the plans which are put forward.

§ Mr. Tony Banks
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the British Government's policy on sanctions against Taiwan, Yemen and South Korea for possession of illegal rhinoceros horn; and if he will make a statement.

§ Mr. Maclean
The Government have made very clear their wish to see an end to the illegal trade in rhino horn and we have made substantial diplomatic efforts to this end.
At the recent meeting of the standing committee to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species, the United Kingdom firmly supported the dispatch of letters, warning of possible sanctions, to the relevant authorities in Taipei, Seoul and Sana'a. These letters advised that the committee would recommend a ban on trade in CITES goods if it considered at its next meeting that those authorities had not taken adequate action to end trade in, and stockpiling of, rhino horn. At the United Kingdom's instigation, the chairman of the committee is also writing to all CITES parties, urging them to take action, as we are, to support rhinoceros conservation and to end illegal trade.