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

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to promote the creation of a South Atlantic Whale Sanctuary.

The UK remains committed to working with all Parties to the International Whaling Commission (IWC) to continue to support the modernisation of the organisation and to ensure it remains the international body for the conservation and management of cetaceans.

At the 68^th meeting of the IWC, the UK supported the proposal by Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay to create a South Atlantic Whale Sanctuary and encouraged all Contracting Governments to support its adoption. We were disappointed that the IWC did not reach agreement to take forward this proposal but will continue to push for the conservation of these unique creatures that play a vital role in our wider ecosystem.