§ Mr. GardinerTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has for the latest machinery for monitoring and checking bags to tackle the illegal trade of bushmeat into the UK. [70306]
§ Mr. MorleyIn March of this year the Department published its action plan to reduce the risk of plant and animal diseases entering the country and damaging our horticultural and agricultural industries.
In implementing this action plan the Department has been investigating a variety of alternatives for improved detection and deterrence of illegal imports of meat and animal products. The Department has held discussions with officials from other countries on their experience with different regimes and technologies, as well as other individuals, and has a number of pilot schemes due to start this summer to determine the effectiveness of these in detecting illegal imports of meat and animal products.
§ Mr. GardinerTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on those groups which are involved in illegally importing bushmeat into the UK. [70307]
§ Mr. MorleyThe Department currently has no conclusive evidence of specific groups involved in the illegal importation of bushmeat into the UK. We are in the process of improving our intelligence gathering and sharing this with enforcement agencies and specialised units such as the Wildlife Crime Unit. If and when such intelligence builds up a suitable evidence action will, of course, be taken accordingly.