The Unit makes a vital contribution to tackling wildlife crime both in the UK and internationally, so I am delighted that the Government has agreed to fund it fully until at least 2020.
The Home Office and the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) will each provide annual funding of £136,000, and Defra will also provide up to an additional £29,000 a year specifically to tackle wildlife crime conducted online. This will give the Unit significant financial stability, and allow it to tackle the growing problem of wildlife cybercrime.
I support the Government's strong position on wildlife crime, and appreciate the Unit's contribution. In addition to its work, Border Force acts to prevent wildlife products being smuggled at the border. The Government also helps tackle wildlife crime through the Partnership for Action Against Wildlife Crime (PAW), a multi-agency body comprising representatives of the Government and voluntary bodies with an interest in combating wildlife crime.
Ministers are working hard on this issue with overseas governments as well. In 2014 the Foreign Secretary chaired a major conference on the illegal wildlife trade, where over 40 countries agreed on decisive action to protect wildlife. This included continuing to back the elephant ivory trade ban, specifying poaching and wildlife trafficking as "serious crimes" under the relevant UN Convention and strengthening co-ordination across borders.