§ Norman BakerTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to her Answer of 10 April 2002,Official Report, column 286W, on primate imports, if she will define the categories of breeding, personal, commercial and zoological collections with reference to non-human primates. [79119]
§ Mr. MorleyThe EC CITES Regulations require import permit applicants to state the purpose for which the application is being made using one of the purpose codes given on the reverse of the application form. The Regulation does not offer formal definitions of these codes. However the UK considers that in the case of live primates
Code B (Breeding) means breeding in captivity primarily for noncommercial purposes.Code P (Personal) means a long-term personal pet.Code T (Commercial) means primarily for commercial purposes, including the pet trade.Code Z (Zoological collections) means scientific/breeding/educational/conservation purposes.
§ Norman BakerTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many captive-bred non-human primates were imported into the United Kingdom in the last five years; for what purposes; and if she will make a statement. [79118]
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§ Mr. MorleyOur records show that between 1 January 1997 and 31 October 2002 a total of 25095 captive bred non-human primates were imported into the UK for the following purposes:
Imports of non-human primates are controlled under EC Regulations implementing the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). The Convention allows CITES parties to adopt stricter domestic measures Under this provision the UK decided from 22 May 2001 no longer to issue import permits for commercial trade in live primates.
- Breeding: 76
- Personal: 0
- Commercial: 448
- Bio-medical research: 21113
- Zoological collections: 3458
§ Norman BakerTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) how many primates are owned under a Dangerous Wild Animals Act 1976 Licence; and for what purposes these animals are owned; [79120]
(2) how many animals are owned under a Dangerous Wild Animals Act 1976 Licence, broken down by species; [79121]
(3) if she plans to amend the 1984 Schedule to the Dangerous Wild Animals Act 1976 to remove animals that have been shown to pose no serious danger to the public. [79122]
§ Mr. MorleyAs local authorities administer the Dangerous Wild Animals Act 1976, details of licensed animals are not held centrally. However, as part of a review to examine the effectiveness of the Act, consultants reported in 2001 that on the basis of a 95 per cent. response from local authorities, 655 primates were then licensed. They did not seek the reason for keeping these animals.
The consultants found a total of 11,878 animals were licensed, categorised as follows:
Category Number Primates 655 Rodents 14 Carnivores 269 Pinnipeds 3 Elephants 1 Odd-toed Ungulates 20 Even-toed Ungulates 5339 Birds 5232 Reptiles 334 Invertebrates 11 The Even-toed ungulates and birds comprise, for the most part, farmed wild boar and ostrich. A copy of the consultants report can be downloaded by visiting www.defra.gov.uk/wildlife-countryside/consult/dwaa/index.htm.
The consultants' report has recommended changes to the 1984 Schedule to the Act. We have sought views from the public on all their recommendations, including those on the schedule, and shall be drawing up our own proposals to address the shortcomings identified. Our proposals will be the subject of a further public 348W consultation exercise in due course, as a result of which decisions will be taken as to whether or not the Schedule needs to be altered.