§ Mr. CoxTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate she has made of the quantity of bushmeat that has arrived in the United Kingdom from African countries in each of the last three years. [120587]
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§ Mr. BradshawThe Veterinary Laboratories Agency published a risk assessment report on 25 March 2003. This estimated the amount of illegal meat of any type imported annually, on average, to be 7,500 tonnes, with 90 per cent. certainty that the amount of illegal meat imported will range from 2,800 tonnes to 17,500 tonnes per year. Table 6–6 indicates that bushmeat contributes on average 6 per cent. of the estimated total flow of illegal meat. Table 6–1, which shows the contribution by world region to the total estimate of illegal flow of meat into GB, indicates that about 23 per cent. of the total comes from African countries. Most—but not all—bushmeat comes from African countries.
Copies of the report have been placed in the House Libraries.
§ Llew SmithTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for International Development on controlling the commercial exploitation of bushmeat. [121080]
§ Mr. MorleyWe are in regular contact at Ministerial and official level with the Department for International Development. Most recently, I met the Minister of State, the hon. Member for Leeds, Central (Hilary Benn), on 10 June to discuss a range of issues, including action to deal with the trade in bushmeat.