IVORY TRADE

Early day motion 1153, tabled 26 March 1998 by Piara S Khabra (Labour). Signed by 152 members.

That this House is concerned that the relaxation of the ivory trade ban, provisionally agreed by CITES in June 1997, will lead to an increase in elephant poaching and ivory smuggling in both Africa and Asia; believes that there are indications that the proposed controlled sale of Botswanan, Zimbabwean and Namibian ivory stockpiles to Japan will lead to levels of poaching not seen since the decade leading up to the 1989 ban on ivory trading, which saw 600,000 elephants slaughtered for their tusks; and call on Her Majesty's Government to continue to use its influence to ensure that the 25th anniversary of the CITES agreement is not celebrated with a resumption of the ivory trade.

Signatures by party: Labour 104, Liberal Democrat 22, Conservative 12, Labour/Co-operative 7, DUP 2, Independent 1, Plaid Cymru 1, Social Democratic and Labour Party 1, Unknown 1.