§ Mr. HancockTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what steps his Department has taken to(a) control and (b) prohibit the import of animal furs on conservation grounds. [8662]
§ Angela EagleThe import of furs into the United Kingdom is controlled under European Council Regulation 338/97 which implements the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) within the European Union as a whole. A permit is required from the Department of the Environment to import the fur of any species listed in the CITES Appendices. Trade in furs from endangered species, such as leopards and tigers, is strictly prohibited. Trade in other less sensitive species is strictly controlled and monitored to ensure that they are not over-exploited. My Department is also responsible for the EU ban on the import of furs from harp and hooded seal pups under the EC Seals Directive 83/129. The Directive is implemented in the UK through the Import of Seal Skins Regulations 1996.