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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will hold discussions with UK airlines on the transit of hunting trophies through UK airports.

There are no current plans to hold discussions with UK airlines on this subject. It is at the discretion of each airline whether they wish to allow the transport of hunting trophies. However, the UK Government is working within the EU to introduce stricter hunting trophy import controls. These ensure that not only must the exporting country be satisfied that the animal was hunted sustainably but the importing country must also undertake this check. In this way the import of hunting trophies of certain species from certain countries is currently prohibited by the EU.