Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with the Canadian Government on the practice of seal hunting.

An EU ban on trade in seal skin products from whitecoat harp and blueback hooded seal pups has been in place since 2007. The UK also played an active role in preparing additional EU rules on trade in seal products.

The Foreign Secretary has not discussed seal hunting with the Canadian Government. However, we have made clear internationally that we oppose commercial seal hunts and support the EU ban on trade in seal products.