---

Natural Environment and Rural Communities Bill

moved Amendment No. 298:"Page 63, line 20, at end insert—" ““PART 3 CONSTABLE’S SEARCH WARRANT POWER EXTENDED TO CERTAIN OTHER ACTS 12   (1)   Section 19(3) of the 1981 Act (issue of search warrants for purpose of obtaining evidence of offence) applies in relation to an offence under each of the Acts mentioned in sub-paragraph (2) as it applies in relation to an offence under Part 1 of the 1981 Act. (2)   The Acts are— (a)   the Destructive Imported Animals Act 1932 (c. 12); (b)   the Conservation of Seals Act 1970 (c. 30); (c)   the Deer Act 1991 (c. 54); (d)   the Protection of Badgers Act 1992 (c. 51).”” The noble Lord said: This is a government amendment that seeks to extend the powers of constables to obtain warrants under Section 19(3) of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 to four other Acts where police currently have only very limited powers of entry; namely, the Destructive Imported Animals Act 1932, the Conservation of Seals Act 1970, the Deer Act 1991 and the Protection of Badgers Act 1992. The powers would allow constables, under a warrant issued by a justice of the peace, to enter and search premises for evidence where there are reasonable grounds for suspecting that an offence has been committed and that evidence may be found on those premises. These extended powers would ensure that wildlife protection legislation is complied with, and that wildlife crime could be more effectively investigated. The provisions within this amendment also provide greater consistency across the main wildlife legislation. I beg to move.