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 Armenian counterpart on the protection of endangered brown bears in that country.

​This is not a foreign policy issue. Animal welfare policy is the responsibility of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

The UK Government shares the concerns of the public about this issue and we are committed to the highest standards of animal welfare, both here in the UK and in our work with countries abroad. Britain engages with other countries directly and as part of global forums such as the OIE (World Organisation for Animal Health). The protection of endangered species is a priority for the UK Government. Decisions on future funding levels for this area will be taken as part of the forthcoming Spending Review.