To ask the Prime Minister when Her Majesty's Government last authorised the British embassy in Moscow to raise the issue of seal pup slaughter. [38475]

The embassy in Moscow was instructed to raise the question of seal culling on receipt of the 1995 seal cull figures. These arrived on 3 October and the embassy is now seeking a meeting with the relevant authorities to reiterate the British public's opposition to seal culling and to ask the Russians to reconsider their position.