CHINA AND IVORY LICENCES

Early day motion 2073, tabled 16 July 2008 by Lindsay Hoyle (Labour). Signed by 44 members.

That this House notes with urgent concern the Government's decision to approve China's application to legalise purchasing of ivory stockpiles from Africa; is concerned that the licence will provide myriad opportunities for illicit ivory to be laundered into legal stock and will increase the already tragic number of 20,000 elephants being illegally killed across the African continent; and condemns the decision to bow to political pressure regarding relations with China rather than using Great Britain's position as European representative on the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) committee to make a stand for positive international wildlife protection.

Signatures by party: Labour 32, Liberal Democrat 10, Conservative 2.