Wildlife Crime March 2019 Debate Pack
This briefing paper provides information on the legislation relating to some high-profile wildlife offences, and the enforcement regime currently in place.
The key legislation includes:
- The Hunting Act 2004 governs some of the most high-profile offences. It prohibits both hare coursing and hunting with dogs. Further details on these offences are given below.
- The Protection of Badgers Act 1992 consolidated offences linked to harming badgers or their setts, including badger baiting with dogs. Badger baiting is prohibited by separate legislation in Northern Ireland.(3)
- The Ivory Act 2018 prohibits the commercial use of ivory items or those containing ivory regardless of their age, with some exceptions. The House of Commons Library briefing paper on the Ivory Bill provides information about trade in ivory.
The House of Commons Environmental Audit Committee has reported twice on the subject of wildlife crime: in 2004 and 2012. The summary of the 2012 report stated:
Wildlife law has been amended so many times in response to new wildlife crime threats that it is too complex for non-specialist police and prosecutors to apply effectively and for the public to fully appreciate. All our witnesses thought that a consolidation of the law was long overdue.(4)
The Government response agreed that “that the law in this area could be modernised and simplified” and pointed to the work of the Law Commission.(5) The Law Commission’s website includes a portal to information on their work in this area.(6)
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