News

Scrap Metal Bill Passes Third Reading

Monday 12th November, 2012

The Scrap Metal Dealers Bill today (November 9) scraped through its third reading in the House of Commons to the relief of its supporters.

Its backer, Richard Ottaway MP, made some concessions but the Bill will now be sent to the House of Lords.

The Bill is designed to stamp out metal theft

Designed to help stamp out metal theft in the UK, if approved, the Bill would see mandatory licences for scrap dealers introduced. Local authorities would be given the power to issue, suspend or revoke the licence which would allow the dealer to trade in scrap metal.

Other proposed measures under the Bill include giving councils and police greater powers to enter and inspect unlicensed scrap yards.

It has received support from a number of councils, organisations and businesses across the UK, which said they were ‘delighted’ by today’s progress. Organisations supporting the Bill include the British Metals recycling Association (BMRA), waste management firm SITA UK and Network Rail.

A spokesman for the industry group said: “We are delighted that the bill has passed its third reading and would like to thank Richard Ottaway MP and all the supporters of the bill. We would also like to acknowledge and welcome the compromise reached with Philip Davies MP over his concerns. We hope we can demonstrate that the bill works in the coming years.”

However there remains some opposition to the Bill and as a compromise between concerned MPs and its supporters, it will be reviewed in three years with a sunset clause for five years. This will allow time for it to be evaluated in action and revised if necessary.

SITA UK

David Palmer-Jones, chief executive of SITA UK, has openly supported the ‘crucial’ piece of legislation, stating that without it the UK would be left with an unlicensed regime which is a recipe for metals theft to continue largely unabated (see letsrecycle.com story).

Following today’s events, Mr Palmer-Jones said: "Common sense has prevailed for the common good.  With the House of Commons now approving a new law to properly regulate scrap metal traders, this should finally help crack down on metals theft that has blighted everyone across business, church communities and local authorities."

Councils

The Bill has also been welcomed by the Local Government Association (LGA), which said it will be a ‘huge step forward’ in tackling the national problem of metal theft.

Cllr Mehboob Khan, chairman of the LGA’s Safer and Stronger Communities Board, said: “Thefts of scrap metal have been spiralling out of control, and this has been in no small part down to the lack of adequate legislation for regulating scrap yards.

“Councils have long been clear that we need a comprehensive and modern system for running the metal recycling industry, with a proper licensing system to hold scrapyards to account.”

Cllr Khan added that the LGA was looking to get a statute book on the Bill as quickly as possible to make it easier for councils and the police to prevent and tackle metal theft.