Rejection of Metal Theft Bill pleases metal recyclers
23 January 2012
Metal recyclers have welcomed parliament’s decision to throw out the Private Member’s Bill proposing to overhaul existing laws governing the scrap trade.
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- Government is currently considering measures including banning cash payments for scrap metal deals
Labour MP Graham Jones had proposed legislation that would ban scrap yards from making cash payments to traders of scrap metal, and would require them to take proof of identification and address when carrying out transactions.
The motion had received support from parliament when originally heard in November, but did not receive government backing when it went before parliament on Friday (January 20).
Following the decision, Ian Hetherington director general of the British Metals Recycling Association – which represents 300 metal recyclers in the UK - said: “The theft of metal is a huge issue for our industry and so we genuinely welcome the government’s increased focus on it.
“While we agree with many of the proposals in the Metal Theft (Prevention) Bill, there were some details which we felt would not help to solve the issue. We welcome the opportunity to continue to advise and work with Government and the relevant authorities on this issue to stamp out metal theft.”
The BMRA has previously stated that it would not be in favour of introducing a cash-ban across the industry, arguing that without properly enforcing any new laws, unregulated scrap yards would continue to trade in cash (see letsrecycle.com story).
Proposals
Home Office minister for crime prevention Lord Henley has publicly expressed his desire to alter existing scrap metal legislation, describing the 1964 Scrap Metal Dealers Act as ‘outdated’ and ‘not fit for purpose’.
Lord Henley has been working with figures from within the metal trade to look at a number of measures that the government might introduce to combat metal theft, including the requirement for identification and proof of address to be provided by anyone selling scrap metal and making cashless payments compulsory for all scrap transactions.
A Home Office spokesperson said: "We have stepped up enforcement action but believe legislation is needed for a sustainable, long-term solution to the growing menace of metal theft. While we support the aims of the Private Members Bill, we are currently looking at a range of options including what would be the quickest and most effective legislative vehicle for the changes that are needed.”
Taskforce
A number of measures have already been introduced, including funding for a dedicated taskforce to tackle metal thieves led by the British Transport Police, and Operation Tornado a six-month trial in the North East that will require identification to be shown when trading at scrap yards.
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Speaking after Friday’s decision, shadow home office minister David Hanson MP, criticised the government’s ‘slow’ response to the metal theft problem. He said: “We have called for the government to change the law to tackle metal theft at a time when we are seeing the desecration of war memorials, when households face repeated power cuts, commuters face increasing delays and churches and public buildings are being damaged. The theft of electric wires is even putting lives at risk.
“Faced with crime on this scale, the government is being far too slow to act. “
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