Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if the Government will ensure that the criminal sanctions that apply to offences under the Control of Trade in Endangered Species (Enforcement) Regulations are (a) retained and (b) not downgraded to civil sanctions in the proposed changes to those regulations.

Existing offences under The Control of Trade in Endangered Species (Enforcement) Regulation 1997 (as amended), and The Control of Trade in Endangered Species (Ports of Entry) Regulations 1985 are being retained as criminal sanctions in the consolidated Control of Trade in Endangered Species Regulations 2018.

The type of sanctions to be used under the 2018 consolidated regulations for offences relating to a) new provisions on caviar, and b) new requirements on advertising for sale are currently under development and will be announced imminently.