Asked by: Lord Crathorne (Conservative - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government what their timescale is for progressing the Commons Act 2006 and expanding its coverage beyond the current pilot areas.
Answered by Lord Benyon - Lord Chamberlain (HM Household)
There is currently no timescale for implementing the registration provisions as set out in the Commons Act 2006 for the remaining commons registration authorities in England.
Asked by: Lord Crathorne (Conservative - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty's Government when Natural England expects to introduce new licences for bird control.
Answered by Lord Gardiner of Kimble
The Secretary of State has taken over ultimate decision making powers for general licences relating to the purposes covered by the three revoked general licences. The Secretary of State will consider the present situation with intensity and urgency; his priority is getting this right. The Government has issued a call for evidence https://www.gov.uk/government/news/defra-launches-call-for-evidence-on-decision-to-revoke-general-licences to help our consideration of the issues of new general licences.
Asked by: Lord Crathorne (Conservative - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what additional resource Natural England will require for the allocation of new licences for bird control.
Answered by Lord Gardiner of Kimble
Natural England (NE) is working at pace to assess individual licences to allow lawful control of these bird species to continue. NE is ensuring that this urgent work is appropriately resourced whilst minimising impact on delivery of other services. Since the revocation of the licences by NE the Secretary of State has taken over ultimate decision making powers for general licences relating to the purposes covered by the three revoked general licences, recognising the scale of interest and concern that has been generated by the decision to revoke. The Secretary of State will consider the present situation with intensity and urgency.
Asked by: Lord Crathorne (Conservative - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the potential loss of value that will be experienced by UK owners of legitimately acquired sculpted ivory as a result of the proposed ban on the sale of such items; and what plans they have to compensate the owners of such items for any loss of value which they experience.
Answered by Lord Gardiner of Kimble
Through our public consultation we have sought views and evidence on the effect of the proposed ban on UK ivory sales, including on those individuals who own ivory; how the ban could be enforced; and the proposed scope of carefully targeted exemptions.
The consultation invited views on a possible exemption for items of genuine artistic, cultural or historic value. Items in this category could be exempted from a ban because their value lies in their artistry, cultural significance or historic provenance, as opposed to their ivory content. The consultation made clear that any exemption of this kind would need to be strictly defined to include only the rarest and most important items.
The consultation ended on 29 December 2017 and responses are currently being analysed, including any evidence provided on these issues. This analysis will inform our policy development and we will publish a response shortly. Until these results are analysed, the department has not arrived at a view concerning compensation.
Asked by: Lord Crathorne (Conservative - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what evidence they have that the proposed UK ban on historically sculpted ivory sales will (1) deter poachers in Africa, and (2) reduce the demand for sculpted ivory in Asia, India or the Middle East.
Answered by Lord Gardiner of Kimble
In October 2017, the Government launched a consultation on proposals for a total ban on UK ivory sales that could contribute either directly or indirectly to the continued poaching of elephants, with certain narrowly defined and carefully targeted exemptions. These proposals will put the UK front and centre of efforts to end the trade in ivory. Through the consultation we sought views and evidence on the effect of the proposed ban, including on elephant conservation and the natural environment.
The Government has proposed a ban on the sale of ivory, as trade in ivory continues to incentivise poaching by creating a demand for new ivory and providing a way to launder recently poached ivory.
The consultation ended on 29 December 2017 and responses are currently being analysed, including any evidence provided on this issue. We will publish a response shortly.