§ Mr. Tony BanksTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the current total of all ivory notified to his Department as held in Hong Kong; and on what date it was last assessed. [8884]
§ Mr. HanleyThe aggregate total declared quantity shown on commercial ivory possession licences in Hong Kong was 307 tonnes on 31 December 1995.
§ Mr. BanksTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the current number of licensed ivory traders in Hong Kong; and what was the number on 26 February 1992. [8900]
§ Mr. HanleyThere were 821 possession licences held by commercial ivory stock-holders in Hong Kong on 31 December 1995. The number was 963 on 26 February 1992.
§ Mr. BanksTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the confiscation of ivory by the Hong Kong 589W authorities since 25 February 1992; and what prosecutions for illegal export have occurred during that period. [8902]
§ Mr. HanleySince 25 February 1992, the Hong Kong authorities have seized a total of 909.6 kg of ivory. There were three prosecutions for illegal export during the period.
§ Mr. BanksTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the current tradeable ivory stock held in Hong Kong; and to which countries ivory has been exported since 7 July 1990. [8898]
§ Mr. HanleyThe aggregate total declared quantity shown on commercial ivory possession licences in Hong Kong was 307 tonnes on 31 December 1995. No commercial exports of ivory have been authorised by the Hong Kong authorities since 7 July 1990 except for pre-convention specimens to the United Kingdom and the United States of America.
§ Mr. BanksTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many spot checks on ivory-holding premises were carried out by the Hong Kong authorities in each year since 1991. [8899]
§ Mr. HanleyThe number of checks carried out by the Hong Kong authorities on ivory-holding premises in each year since 1991 are as follows:
Year 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 Number of checks 220 319 320 807 284
§ Mr. BanksTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on licenses issued by the Hong Kong authorities for the export of ivory since 1991. [8901]
§ Mr. HanleyNo commercial exports of ivory have been authorised since 1991 except for nine licences to export pre-convention specimens to the United Kingdom and USA.