Committee publication · Correspondence · 16 December 2025

Correspondence from Mary Creagh, Minister for Nature, Defra, regarding the Publication of Government Post-Legislative Scrutiny of the Ivory Act 2018, dated 5 December 2025

From: Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee

Inquiry: Work of the Department and its arm’s-length bodies

Summary

Mary Creagh, Minister for Nature at Defra, notifies the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee that the government has laid its Post-Legislative Scrutiny memorandum on the Ivory Act 2018 in both Houses and published it online. The memorandum, prepared by Defra in consultation with devolved governments, covers implementation across England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. The government's preliminary assessment concludes the Act has been implemented effectively and achieved its aim to reduce UK demand for ivory.

Key findings

  • Post-Legislative Scrutiny memorandum on the Ivory Act 2018 has been formally laid in both Houses and published on GOV.UK
  • Memorandum covers implementation across England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland, with devolved governments consulted during drafting
  • Government's preliminary assessment indicates the Ivory Act 2018 has been implemented effectively and achieved its objective to reduce demand for ivory within the UK

Tone

Procedural

Topics

wildlife-protectionanimal-welfarelegislative-scrutiny

Key actors

Mary Creagh, Alistair Carmichael, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee, Devolved Governments

Notable line

… the Ivory Act 2018 has been implemented effectively and has achieved its aim to reduce demand for ivory within the UK

Key Quotes

… today we have laid in both Houses the UK Government Post-Legislative Scrutiny memorandum of the Ivory Act 2018 by Command of His Majesty
Mary Creagh · notification of laying the scrutiny memorandum
… the Ivory Act 2018 has been implemented effectively and has achieved its aim to reduce demand for ivory within the UK
Mary Creagh · preliminary government assessment of the Act
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Source · parliament.uk record ↗