I was pleased to see that the Scrap Metal Dealers Bill, which tightens up the law and strengthens penalities for dealing in stolen scrap metal, passed through the House of Commons to its Third Reading yesterday.
It was a private members bill, the Government in its wisdom apparently unable to find time for it in its official legislative programme,
Under the Act local authorities will retain their licencing powers over scrap dealers, but these are enhanced, and both local officials and police will acquire improved rights of search and entry.
I wrote about this issue on the blog some time ago following a spate of thefts of lead from church roofs locally. I am sorry that there had to be so many incidents across the UK before action was taken. These were not confined to the theft of lead from church roofs, but also of copper wiring from railways and the metal parts of war memorials.
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