Asked by: Martin Wrigley (Liberal Democrat - Newton Abbot)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department has had discussions with the zoo sector on the potential impact of the UK's decision to leave the European Union on international breeding programmes.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner
Defra acknowledges the challenges faced by zoos and aquariums in Great Britain in transferring animals between GB and the European Union (EU) following the UK's exit from the European Union. The Department is in regular dialogue with the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums (BIAZA), addressing trade concerns and works closely with the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) to prioritise and support these movements, particularly where there are welfare concerns or implications for breeding programmes. Defra remains committed to supporting zoos and aquariums in their conservation efforts by minimising trade barriers and addressing stakeholder concerns, thereby facilitating the smooth movement of animals between GB and the EU.
An example of successful collaboration is the Department's recent work with BIAZA to develop a new system for ensuring the export of microchipped captive birds, including endangered species, to the EU. This initiative has played a key role in reinstating bird conservation programs previously impacted by EU regulations.
Asked by: Martin Wrigley (Liberal Democrat - Newton Abbot)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department has plans to support endangered species breeding programmes in (a) zoos and (b) aquariums.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Defra recognises the work modern zoos and aquariums do in promoting conservation and biodiversity, including participating in breeding programmes for endangered species. Under the Zoo Licensing Act 1981, all licensed zoos in Great Britain must undertake conservation measures. These measures could include the breeding of wild animals in captivity, or the repopulation of an area with, or the reintroduction into the wild of, wild animals. Defra works with other countries and the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums (BIAZA) to enable movements of endangered species where there are breeding concerns.
Asked by: Adrian Ramsay (Green Party - Waveney Valley)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will implement an immediate moratorium on import permits for hunting trophies of (a) polar bears and (b) other endangered species.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
We committed to a ban on the import of hunting trophies of endangered animals in our manifesto and we will deliver on this. We are currently engaging with a range of stakeholders in order to decide on the most effective approach.
Asked by: Lord De Mauley (Conservative - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government for what reason it is still legal to export glass eels to Russia despite sanctions against that country.
Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
As an endangered species, the international trade in European eel is regulated through the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). Any exports are subject to rigorous scrutiny, including through assessments of legal acquisition and non-detriment.
The UK’s approach to these exports is being reviewed by the new Government to ensure legality, sustainability, and alignment with global conservation efforts.
The export of European eel to Russia is not currently sanctioned.
Asked by: Ellie Chowns (Green Party - North Herefordshire)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will review the issuing of licenses to export endangered European eels.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner
The international trade in eels is regulated through the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). Because the European eel is critically endangered, any international movements are subject to rigorous scrutiny, including through assessments of legal acquisition and non-detriment. The UK’s approach to international trade of any endangered species is kept under constant review to ensure legality, sustainability, and alignment with global conservation efforts.
Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the paper, 'Insights into the primate trade into the European Union and the United Kingdom', by Svensson et al, published in the European Journal of Wildlife Research on 25 April 2023; and what steps they will take to quantify the illegal importation of wildlife into Britain and to end it.
Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
We have made no formal assessment of the paper by Svensson et al.
All primates are protected under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), ensuring any international trade in these species is sustainable. Each year thousands of illegal products containing endangered species are seized by Border Force. These seizures are quantified in the UK’s annual illegal trade report to CITES and made available in the CITES Illegal Trade Database.
The UK is committed to combatting the illegal wildlife trade (IWT), including through our Illegal Wildlife Trade Challenge Fund and through the National Wildlife Crime Unit’s Strategic Assessment for Wildlife Crime which aims to support UK and Global enforcement responses to IWT.
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Asked by: Jim Allister (Traditional Unionist Voice - North Antrim)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment her Department has made of the potential economic impact of the export procedures mandated by Section 45B (1) of the United Kingdom Internal Market Act 2020.
Answered by James Murray - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
The Windsor Framework guarantees our commitment to unfettered access, removing the requirement for export procedures, except in extremely limited exceptions (such as the movement of endangered species). Traders moving this limited range of goods can access support from the free-to-use Trader Support Service.
Under the unfettered access protections, which the Government is committed to on a permanent basis, qualifying Northern Ireland goods can move to Great Britain – either directly or via Ireland – without undergoing customs or SPS processes or controls.
The vast majority of goods move from Northern Ireland to Great Britain without any records being asked for or collected by any Government departments or agencies. Given the limited and specific requirements in place for export procedures, the proportion of goods moving which are subject to them is minimal.
Traders moving this limited range of goods may need to follow certain procedures prior to departure in Northern Ireland and further information can be found at Movement of goods from NI to GB - Northern Ireland Customs and Trade Academy (nicustomstradeacademy.co.uk)
Detailed guidance on the movement of qualifying Northern Ireland goods to Great Britain is available on GOV.UK at https://www.gov.uk/guidance/moving-qualifying-goods-from-northern-ireland-to-the-rest-of-the-uk.
Asked by: Jim Allister (Traditional Unionist Voice - North Antrim)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate her Department has made of the proportion of goods moving from Northern Ireland to Great Britain subject to the export procedures mandated by Section 45B (1) of the United Kingdom Internal Market Act 2020.
Answered by James Murray - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
The Windsor Framework guarantees our commitment to unfettered access, removing the requirement for export procedures, except in extremely limited exceptions (such as the movement of endangered species). Traders moving this limited range of goods can access support from the free-to-use Trader Support Service.
Under the unfettered access protections, which the Government is committed to on a permanent basis, qualifying Northern Ireland goods can move to Great Britain – either directly or via Ireland – without undergoing customs or SPS processes or controls.
The vast majority of goods move from Northern Ireland to Great Britain without any records being asked for or collected by any Government departments or agencies. Given the limited and specific requirements in place for export procedures, the proportion of goods moving which are subject to them is minimal.
Traders moving this limited range of goods may need to follow certain procedures prior to departure in Northern Ireland and further information can be found at Movement of goods from NI to GB - Northern Ireland Customs and Trade Academy (nicustomstradeacademy.co.uk)
Detailed guidance on the movement of qualifying Northern Ireland goods to Great Britain is available on GOV.UK at https://www.gov.uk/guidance/moving-qualifying-goods-from-northern-ireland-to-the-rest-of-the-uk.
Asked by: Jim Allister (Traditional Unionist Voice - North Antrim)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, when the export procedures required in relation to the movement of goods from Northern Ireland to Great Britain under the areas specified by Section 45B (1) of the United Kingdom Internal Market Act 2020 come into effect.
Answered by James Murray - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
The Windsor Framework guarantees our commitment to unfettered access, removing the requirement for export procedures, except in extremely limited exceptions (such as the movement of endangered species). Traders moving this limited range of goods can access support from the free-to-use Trader Support Service.
Under the unfettered access protections, which the Government is committed to on a permanent basis, qualifying Northern Ireland goods can move to Great Britain – either directly or via Ireland – without undergoing customs or SPS processes or controls.
The vast majority of goods move from Northern Ireland to Great Britain without any records being asked for or collected by any Government departments or agencies. Given the limited and specific requirements in place for export procedures, the proportion of goods moving which are subject to them is minimal.
Traders moving this limited range of goods may need to follow certain procedures prior to departure in Northern Ireland and further information can be found at Movement of goods from NI to GB - Northern Ireland Customs and Trade Academy (nicustomstradeacademy.co.uk)
Detailed guidance on the movement of qualifying Northern Ireland goods to Great Britain is available on GOV.UK at https://www.gov.uk/guidance/moving-qualifying-goods-from-northern-ireland-to-the-rest-of-the-uk.
Asked by: Jim Allister (Traditional Unionist Voice - North Antrim)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what export procedures will apply to goods moving from Northern Ireland to Great Britain in relation to each of the areas where export procedures are mandated by Section 45B (1) of the United Kingdom Internal Market Act 2020.
Answered by James Murray - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
The Windsor Framework guarantees our commitment to unfettered access, removing the requirement for export procedures, except in extremely limited exceptions (such as the movement of endangered species). Traders moving this limited range of goods can access support from the free-to-use Trader Support Service.
Under the unfettered access protections, which the Government is committed to on a permanent basis, qualifying Northern Ireland goods can move to Great Britain – either directly or via Ireland – without undergoing customs or SPS processes or controls.
The vast majority of goods move from Northern Ireland to Great Britain without any records being asked for or collected by any Government departments or agencies. Given the limited and specific requirements in place for export procedures, the proportion of goods moving which are subject to them is minimal.
Traders moving this limited range of goods may need to follow certain procedures prior to departure in Northern Ireland and further information can be found at Movement of goods from NI to GB - Northern Ireland Customs and Trade Academy (nicustomstradeacademy.co.uk)
Detailed guidance on the movement of qualifying Northern Ireland goods to Great Britain is available on GOV.UK at https://www.gov.uk/guidance/moving-qualifying-goods-from-northern-ireland-to-the-rest-of-the-uk.