Amid a spate of recent acid attacks, Stephen Timms has been calling upon the Government to introduce stricter rules on purchasing and possessing corrosive substances.
The Labour MP for East Ham in London told Premier criminals sometimes view carrying acid as less risky than having a blade.
He said: "Carrying acid in itself isn't an offence whereas carrying a knife is. That's why I'm calling on the home secretary to change the law so that carrying acid is an offence in exactly the same way that carrying a knife is at the moment."
Mr Timms wants "tougher and more consistent" sentences" for those found guilty of carrying out acid attacks. He says sulphuric acid - found in some drain cleaners - should only be sold to people who possess a license.
He added: "I think there is a particularly compelling case for [tighter restrictions on] sulphuric acid because of just how damaging it is and how much it's been used in recent acid attacks.
"If you are caught carrying acid, you can be prosecuted if you have intent to harm somebody but the problem is if you haven't actually done anything with the acid, it's very hard to prove that you've got the intention to harm anybody."
Click here to listen to Premier's Rosie Wright speaking with Stephen Timms: