Julie Elliott: To ask the Attorney-General how many prosecutions for (a) trade in endangered animals, (b) illegal taxidermy, (c) reptile smuggling and (d) wild bird netting have been made in the last three years.
The Solicitor-General (Oliver Heald): Records held by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) identify the number of offences in which a prosecution commenced and reached a first hearing in magistrates’ courts, rather than the number of defendants prosecuted. Offences of trading in endangered animals and smuggling reptiles may be prosecuted under section 8 of the Control of Trade in Endangered Species (Enforcement) Regulations 1997 (COTES 1997) or section 170 of the Customs and Excise Management Act 1979. Offences of illegal taxidermy and netting wild birds may be prosecuted under sections l(2)(a), 5(1)(b) and 6(2) of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, sections 3 and 8 of COTES 1997 or section 170 of the Customs and Excise Management Act 1979.
During the last three years, the number of these offences prosecuted by the CPS is shown in the following table.
Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 { 1(2)(a) and 21(1) }
2009-2012 = 6
2010-2011 = 12
2011-2012 = 1
Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 { 5(1)(b) and 21(1) }
2009-2012 = 1
2010-2011 = 9
2011-2012 = 8
Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 { 6(2)(a) and 21(1) }
2009-2012 = 0
2010-2011 = 0
2011-2012 = 2
Control of Trade in Endangered Species (Enforcement) Regulations 1997 { 3(1) }
2009-2012 = 1
2010-2011 = 5
2011-2012 = 7
Control of Trade in Endangered Species (Enforcement) Regulations 1997 { 8(1) and (8) }
2009-2012 = 21
2010-2011 = 59
2011-2012 = 46
Control of Trade in Endangered Species (Enforcement) Regulations 1997 { 8(2) and (8) }
2009-2012 = 3
2010-2011 = 4
2011-2012 = 8
Customs and Excise Management Act 1979 { 170 }
2009-2012 = 121
2010-2011 = 374
2011-2012 = 938
No discrete records are held by the CPS to identify the type of animal which may have been smuggled or the method of trapping wild birds. This information could be obtained only by examining all relevant case files, which would incur a disproportionate cost.