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Written question asked by Emily Thornberry (Labour) on Thursday, 1 October 2020, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 5 October 2020. It was answered by Ranil Jayawardena (Conservative) on Wednesday, 7 October 2020 on behalf of the Department for International Trade.

Furs: Imports

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what discussions she has had with her Moldovan counterpart on the continued right of that country to export specified varieties of fur and fur products into the UK after 31 December 2020.

Answer

HM Government shares the British public's high regard for animal welfare. There are restrictions on some skin and fur products, which cannot be legally imported into the United Kingdom. These include fur from cats and dogs, seal skins and products from commercial hunts. Legislation has prohibited farming of animals for their fur since 2000 in England and Wales, and 2002 in Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Once our future relationship with the EU has been established, we will have the opportunity to consider further steps we could take in relation to fur sales – and our commitment to tackling the illegal wildlife trade more generally.

For continuity trade agreements, it is important to be clear that these are the EU’s trade agreements that we are simply seeking to replicate in order to secure continuity for British businesses, but foreign partners should be under no illusion that HM Government is clear in its commitment to protect endangered species and uphold our animal welfare standards.

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
98178
Session
2019-21
Grouped for answer
Yes
Subjects
Furs EU external trade Imports Moldova Brexit
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk