Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to prevent illegal fur from being imported into the UK.

Border Force is responsible for enforcing controls at the border on imports of fur products protected by the Convention on International Trade of Endangered Species (CITES), Council Regulation (EEC) No 3254/91 and Council Regulation (EC) No 1523/2007 which prohibit the import of fur and fur products from certain animals.

A National Co-operation Agreement between Border Force and DEFRA, the Department with lead policy responsibility for controls on furs and fur skin products, provides a clear framework for co-operation to ensure the effective enforcement of legislation governing the import of plants, animals and products of plant and animal origin at the border.