The Environmental Audit Committee, an influential committee of MPs, has said that laws which tackle wildlife crimes are "a mess". The Committee claims that confusion over wildlife laws means that criminals often go unpunished.
They found that wildlife legislation is so complex that prosecutions fail, the lack of sentencing guidelines means some offenders are not punished and the Crown Prosecution Service is failing to train prosecutors to handle complex wildlife cases.
Its concerns surrounding wildlife laws are particularly focussed around gamekeepers and the use of poison to kill birds or prey.
Carbofuran, a chemical used by rogue gamekeepers to kill raptors, is extremely toxic to birds as it breaks down their nervous system. The Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) said that they had banned possession of the chemical, but the MPs say it has not.
The Committee has said that in order for the ban to be legally watertight, Defra would have to change existing legislation. Without the change, those using the poison could escape punishment in England and Wales. Scotland, however, has already changed their laws.
The committee chairwoman, Joan Walley MP, said, "I challenge the Government to examine the overwhelming evidence on this and make this simple change by the end of the month."
To further add to the problems, the police's National Wildlife Crime Unit's funding is due to expire in March.
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