HC Deb 24 November 1997 vol 301 c372W
Dr. Tonge

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions for what reasons the Government(a) abstained from the vote to down list three populations of African elephants at the CITES conference and (b) agreed to an exemption to the ban on ivory sales by Botswana, Namibia and Zimbabwe. [17578]

Angela Eagle

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Minister for the Environment to my hon. Friend the Member for Barnsley, East and Mexborough (Mr. Ennis) on 8 July,Official Report, column 449, which reports the main decisions taken by the Conference.