§ Mr. Peter AinsworthTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what measures she is taking to seize shipments of illegally logged wood. [39989]
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§ Margaret Beckett[holding answer 4 March 2002]: When a shipment of wood arrives in the UK Her Majesty's Customs and Excise have powers under section 49 of the Customs and Excise Management Act 1979 to seize any shipment presented for clearance that has been imported contrary to a prohibition or restriction.
There are restrictions in relation to international trade in some woods under the terms of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). Those species of wood listed in Appendix I and II of CITES require import permits from the UK before they can be brought in. These are issued only where the UK Management Authority (DEFRA) is satisfied that the wood has been legally obtained in the country of origin and has the necessary permit for export form that country. Other species listed in Appendix III of CITES do not require import permits. For these species a self-completed import notification form must be presented to HM
Triplet B—Devon/Cornwall Hartland B1 Trial Area Putford B2 Bude B3 Number of cattle herds in trial area 90 153 129 Historical incidence of TB in cattle in herds in trial area Confirmed breakdowns: Three year (1995–97) 37 48 35 12 month (1997) 16 26 11 Annual incidence: 0.1370 0.1046 0.0904 Three year (1995–97)1 12 month (1997)1 0.1778 0.1699 0.0853 Total surface area (trial area and inner buffer zone) (sq km)2 119 143 130 Total area for which permission for trial operations was sought (trial area and inner buffer zone) (sq km) 114 125 120 Number of land occupiers visited in trial area and inner buffer zone 164 270 232 Treatment Reactive Proactive Survey only Aggregated data on badger removal operations in localised areas under the 'interim strategy' 1986–97 Total number of badgers caught 306 377 331 Percentage of badgers caught found to be infected with TB 32 20 37 Number of badgers trapped during the course of the trial to date 107 397 None 786W Customs prior to the arrival of the specimens, together with the relevant export permit (s) or certificate (s) of origin issued by the Management Authority in the exporting country. Both of these provide controls against illegal imports of wood.
Triplet C—East Cornwall Otterham CI Trial Area Launceston C2 Lanreath C3 Number of cattle herds in trial area 151 180 107 Historical incidence of TB in cattle in herds in trial area Confirmed breakdowns: Three year (1996–98) 21 16 14 12 month (1998) 7 9 5 Annual incidence: Three year (1996–98)1 0.0464 0.0296 0.0436 12 month (1998)1 0.0464 0.0500 0.0467 Total surface area (trial area and inner buffer zone) (sq km)2 145 157 151 Total area for which permission for trial operations was sought (trial area and inner buffer zone) (sq km) 137 154 140 Number of land occupiers visited in trial area and inner buffer zone 259 315 237 Treatment Reactive Survey only Proactive