---

Natural Environment and Rural Communities Bill

I have listened with care to what the Minister had to say. I do not mean this disrespectfully, but while we are delighted that the noble Lord is still within the brief, he is still fairly new to it. We have had discussions over many years about the need to control the illegal trade in bushmeat, for example. I could give other examples, but bushmeat is a particular case, especially when it entails the taking of animals that are becoming rare species. The success rate—or lack of it, as it currently stands—is an absolute disgrace, to be frank. I hope the Minister, when we are not in Committee, will have a chance to look back at some of our discussions on illegal bushmeat. The number of prosecutions brought is small; the success rate in prosecuting somebody and their being fined is even smaller. That is what makes me so nervous about a restriction such as the two-year time limit. I do not know what discussions the Minister has had with the various bodies that have given evidence to the Government, or brought this sort of thing to the Government’s attention, but I can assure him that it is a very unsatisfactory situation. My fear is that in restricting it to two years, an already poor conviction rate will become even poorer, and people may well not be prosecuted. I am sure that the Minister will share my concern that we should get to grips with crime in this way. It is a big illegal trade, which has been going on for many years. I know the Minister would support that. I hope that between now and Report the Minister and his colleagues will have a chance to reflect. I give way to the Minister.