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

To ask Her Majesty's Government what further steps they intend to take to eradicate the market in rhino horn products to protect the world’s population of rhinoceroses.

The UK is at the forefront of global efforts to eradicate the market in rhino horn and ensure the survival of rhinos in the wild. We have been working closely with international partners to agree tough measures to protect rhinos through our involvement in the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES).

Since 2001 strict measures have been in place in the UK on both the re-export and sale of rhino horn and products derived from it and since 2010, the UK has not authorised the sale of, or other commercial trade in, rhino horn except in exceptional circumstances. The UK has worked with other EU Member States to take similar action to the UK which led to new European Commission guidance to this effect.

At the CITES Standing Committee in November last year, the UK was again invited to chair the Inter-sessional Working Group on Rhinoceroses to evaluate Parties’ implementation of the Resolution on Conservation and Trade of African and Asian Rhinoceroses which includes measures to prevent and combat rhinoceros poaching and trafficking in rhinoceros horn. The Working Group will report its findings to the 70th meeting of the CITES Standing Committee which will take place in October this year.

Poaching is one of the main threats for the survival of rhinos. Combatting the illegal wildlife trade (IWT), including eradicating the market for rhino horn, is a priority for the UK Government. This is why we are investing £26 million globally and working with international partners to tackle the systemic issues driving IWT. The UK will bring global leaders back to London in October 2018 to make sure that IWT stays at the top of the political agenda, that participants deliver on existing commitments and to instigate new partnerships for action.