To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether he has had discussions with Japanese government ministers on the killing of whales for alleged scientific research. (159826)

There have been no recent discussions between DEFRA Ministers and Japanese Ministers on this issue. However, at this year's annual meeting of the International Whaling Commission (IWC), the UK and other anti-whaling countries were able to sponsor and secure a key resolution calling on Japan to halt its lethal “scientific” research programme.

In December last year, the British ambassador to Japan took part in a 27 country démarche to both the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Japanese Fisheries Agency to protest against Japan's programme of lethal special permit (“scientific”) whaling in the Southern Ocean.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will hold discussions with the Prime Minister of New Zealand on Japan’s whaling activity in the Southern Ocean sanctuary; and if he will make a statement. (160045)

I have no plans to meet the Prime Minister of New Zealand to discuss specifically this issue, but UK Government Ministers and officials engage in regular discussion with all members of the International Whaling Commission regarding Japan’s continued whaling activity.