The Government made a manifesto commitment to ban imports of
hunting trophies of endangered animals and today has supported
the passage of MP’s Private Member’s Bill
which delivers this.
The Government will continue to support the Bill in the Lords
helping to protect animals listed by the internationally agreed
Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES).
After the debate, International Biodiversity Minister
said:
“This is a pivotal moment in delivering one of our key manifesto
commitments on international conservation and animal welfare.
Using an internationally agreed list of species, this will play
an important part in helping reverse the decline of wildlife
across the world. I look forward to it becoming an Act of
Parliament.”
Conservative MP for Crawley said:
“At the last General Election we stood on a manifesto commitment
to ban imports of hunting trophies of endangered animals. The
House of Commons passing this legislation today marks an
important moment in ensuring that this pledge to support
conservation becomes a reality.
“I’m grateful to the Government for supporting my Hunting
Trophies (Import Prohibition) Bill and I look forward to it now
progressing through the House of Lords.
“Our country does not want to be part of a trade in the body
parts of endangered species. Today the Commons sent this message
loud and clear.”
The Bill will ban the import of trophies hunted from around 6,000
species including lions, elephants, rhinos, and polar bears.
It follows the government’s world-leading Ivory Act which came
into force last year, introducing a near total ban on the import,
export and dealing of items containing elephant ivory in the UK.
We will also be setting out measures in due course on whether to
extend that ban to other ivory bearing species.
The Government will also support Angela Richardson’s Animals
(Low-Welfare Activities Abroad) Bill in the Lords, which will
provide the ability for government to ban the sale and
advertising of activities abroad which involve low standards of
welfare for animals.
Notes to Editors:
- Species at risk from international trade are listed in CITES
Appendices 1 and 2 and are translated into domestic law by the
Wildlife Trade Regulations Annexes A and B.
