TNAG-0468-FCO40-533-Legislation-for-protection-of-wild-life-in-Hong-Kong-1974 — Page 175

FILE NOTE

HK 7/4

Reference...

by special Order of

на sis

in 1970.

UK CONTROLS FOR THE CONSERVATION AND PROTECTION OF ANIMALS AND BIRDS

1.

The International Convention of International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora has been signed but not yet ratified by the UK Government. The Convention lists a number of endangered species, the importation of which, together with any recognisable parts or derivatives will be prohibited. A Whitehall Group has been considering the implications of this Convention for the UK for instance the possible difficulties vis-á-vis the EEC.

2. In fact, we already have some control in this country to protect certain endangered animals by the Restrictions of Import Act 1964. Under this Act certain endangered rare live animals (ie the large cat family) cannot be imported except under license. The DOE is the policy department operating this Act and they have a statutory Advisory Committee which advises the DTI on the question of the issue of licenses. The animals listed under this Act do not include all those listed in the International Convention.

3. There is also an Import, Export, and Customs Powers (Defence) Act 1939 which can be used to ban or restrict the import or export of anything.

4. The policy department dealing with the conservation of birds is the Home Office which operates under the 1954 Protection of Birds Act (slightly amended in 1967). I understand that we in fact exert very little control in this field although there are certain import controls embodied in the Act which are primarily there for the better enforcement of our own legislation. For instance, game and sporting birds which are protected during the close season may be declared prohibited imports during the same period. The UK has already prohibited the import for conservation purposes of the common quail and all species of birds of prey and owls.

5. As far as other birds are concerned there are no import controls just as there is no control on the killing of them in this country. The Law states that all birds are protected at all times but lists certain pest or harmful birds (ie wood-pigeons, starlings, etc) which with minor restrictions may be freely killed.

3 January 1974

PMK

P M Kelly (Miss)