Richard Benyon MP
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State
DEFRA
Nobel House
17 Smith Square
London SW1P 3JR
Date: 5th April 2013
Dear Richard,
I am writing to you about the failure of the bid to ban the international commercial trade in polar bears at the CITES conference this month. Your efforts and those of your Department towards securing a ban were greatly appreciated, but the eventual abstention of the EU bloc remains a disappointing and worrying outcome, and one that is of concern to many UK citizens.
As I am sure you are aware, the next CITES meeting, expected to be held in 2016, will be crucial for the survival of this species. I hope you will share my view that it is essential to press on with action to secure an end to the continuing commercial trade in polar bear parts. While I am aware that the UK is obliged to vote as part of the European bloc, I urge you to set out the UK’s strong support for ending the trade as early as possible at the next session, in order to demonstrate real leadership and to maximise our influence over other EU countries.
Please would you let me know what plans the Government has to keep up pressure in this respect and try to ensure that an EU vote next time around will help stem the decline in polar bears?
I look forward to receiving your reply.
Yours sincerely,
Caroline Lucas, MP, Brighton Pavilion
Read the ministerial response here.
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