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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions her Department has had with the Chinese government on whether it plans to expand its temporary ban on ivory imports.

The UK Government welcomes China’s introduction of a temporary ban on ivory imports as a positive signal of its commitment to tackle the illegal trade in ivory. Defra has an ongoing dialogue with China on all aspects of the illegal ivory trade, including as part of the preparations for the Kasane Conference on the Illegal Wildlife Trade being held in Botswana on 25 March.