The Welsh Government is undergoing a six-week consultation period on a proposal for the Heritage Bill to better protect the country’s monuments and artefacts.

Between 2006-2012, Cadw – the Welsh Government’s historic environment service – received reports of 119 cases of unlawful damage to ancient monuments in Wales. However in the past 25 years, there has only been a single successful prosecution under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act of 1979.

A consultation conducted in 2013 on proposals for Wales’ historic environment, raised the issue for rarity of a successful prosecution with some then calling for changes to the Act’s permitted defence of ignorance of the status or location of a monument, making it easier to secure a conviction for damages.

More details on the proposal are available on the Welsh Government’s website. The consultation period will run for six weeks between 3 March and 14 April 2014.

The Heritage Bill is scheduled for introduction to the National Assembly for Wales in Q1 of 2015.