Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the issue of the illegal trade in ivory will be discussed at the forthcoming Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in 2018.

The Prime Minister has announced the four themes that the 2018 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting will focus on: prosperity, sustainability, security and fairness. The UK Government is working closely with Member States and the Commonwealth Secretariat to examine options for the summit agenda.

The UK Government recognises the need for robust action to protect elephants, one of the world’s most iconic and treasured species. That is why the Government announced its proposals on 6 October to introduce a total ban on UK sales of ivory that could contribute either directly or indirectly to the continued poaching of elephants, with some carefully defined and narrowly targeted exemptions.