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From the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
London S.W.1
14 June 1974
(12
Area Brandon,
..
LAET
REF.
PCF.
89
You wrote to me on 4 June enclosing correspondence which you had received from your constituent Miss Ann Huth of 13 Ladbroke Gardens W11 about the import of rare birds and mammals from China into Hong Kong.
The cutting from the Guardian which your constituent enclosed with her letter refers to a BBC Radio 4 programme, broadcase last December. The broadcast also covered the same ground as the points in Miss Huth's other enclosure. Partly as a result of this broadcast, and partly becuase this is a matter of continuing concern to the government, we have recently discussed the whole question with the Governor of Hong Kong. Together with him we have examined what is being and should be done to deal with the complex and difficult problems which this trade presents. Hong Kong is, of course, predominantly a Chinese society. The Hong Kong Government do not seek to dictate to their people what they should or should not eat, provided that the animals and birds are humanely treated and killed, and that internationally accepted restrictions on trade in endangered species are observed. The Hong Kong Govern- ment are, however, well aware of the problems which arise from the wildlife trade and have recently passed further legislation and taken other measures to deal with them.
As far as endangered species are concerned, the Hong Kong Government have already banned, as from 1 January 1974, the
Sir Brandon Rhys Williams Bt MP House of Commons
SWI
/importation
1