§ Mr. BakerTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) what provisions are in place to prevent the import of animals subject to the Dangerous Wild Animals Act 1976 to Great Britain via Northern Ireland; [69284]
718W(2) what measures are in place to prevent exotic animals being obtained from British zoos for sale outside the United Kingdom as pets; [69286]
(3) what (a) measures are in place and (b) steps he is taking to prevent the importation of wild animals as pets. [69287]
§ Mr. MealeThe movement of animals between Great Britain and Northern Ireland or by zoos is not restricted, although the trade in species protected by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) is strictly regulated. Those species most endangered by trade, such as tigers, elephants, chimps, etc., are subject to sale control and the owner of any CITES specimen must be able to show that it was imported or acquired lawfully. There are no plans to prevent the importation of wild animals as pets, although the import of some species has been prohibited on conservation grounds. The sustainability of the current trade is kept under continuous review.