Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with his Zambian counterpart on (a) trophy hunting and (b) culling of hippopotamuses in that country.

The British Government takes the conservation of species seriously and we are looking carefully at the issue of trophy hunting. We will seek to secure a meeting to discuss this issue with the Government of Zambia, and other key states, at the 4th session of the UN Environment Assembly in Nairobi, which will take place from 11th-15th March.

We are aware of the proposal for a cull of hippos on the Luangwa River in Zambia. Our High Commissioner has raised the matter with the Zambian Government. The importance of protecting wildlife was discussed with the Minister of Tourism and Arts at the October 2018 Illegal Wildlife Trade Conference in London and our High Commissioner also discussed conservation issues with President Lungu in November 2018.