§ Mr. Matthew TaylorTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has made to the Norwegian Government expressing the United Kingdom's opposition to Norway's draft proposal to downlist the north-east and central Atlantic minke whales at the next convention on international trade in endangered species meeting. [10465]
§ Mr. ClappisonThe position of the UK and other EU member states in such matters requires a collective decision. Following a letter to Norway from the then Irish Presidency, my Department wrote to the Norwegian Government last month confirming that the UK would oppose the transfer of any species of cetaceans to appendix II of the convention on international trade in endangered species of wild fauna and flora while the moratorium on commercial whaling agreed by the International Whaling Commission remains.