PARLIAMENTARY EARLY DAY MOTION
COMMERCIAL SEAL HUNTS AND THE IMPORTATION OF SEAL PRODUCTS INTO THE UK (25 May 2005)

That this House notes with grave concern the killing of 317,672 seals in Canada's cruel commercial hunt in 2005; is appalled by the unacceptable cruelty of the hunt; notes that a team of independent veterinarians who observed the Canadian seal hunt in 2001 found that 42 per cent. of the seals skulls examined were found to have minimal or no fractures, suggesting that these animals were conscious when skinned; is concerned that the current level of killing is unsustainable for the harp seal population; further notes that trade data shows that thousands of seal skins were imported into the UK between 1995 and 2003; further notes that the US banned imports of all seal products in 1972 and that Belgium and Italy currently have initiatives to ban such trade; and calls on the Government to prohibit the import of all seal products into the UK.

Sponsored by:
Mr Eric Martlew (Labour)