Government isn't taking international metal theft seriously

A subject I have raised on many occasions and I have recently received this reply from the Treasury. I am concerned that the Treasury are keen to end funding for the national metal theft task force.

The NMTTF has been a huge success seeing; increased cooperation, data sharing and best practice; it has been highly successful in targeting the major criminals who manage to avoid the use of scrap

Metal Theft National Taskforce funding ending?

I have campaigned for 18months to change the legislation and have a coordinated national approach to the problem of metal theft.

In reply to my request for funding to continue, the ministers has sent the following reply.

Letter to the Home Secretary regarding exports of stolen metal

In the last hour the Scrap Metal Dealers Bill passes through Parliament

My national campaign to tackle metal theft about to get Royal Ascent
In the last hour the Scrap Metal Dealers Bill has successfully passed its Third Reading in the House of Lords and will soon become law following Royal Assent.

Back in autumn of 2011 I began a national campaign in Parliament to combat this scourge and followed it with a private members bill.

It received universal support from

Government accepts my amendment on vehicle badging for scrap metal collectors

The Scrap Metal Dealers Bill has passed the Commons and is now making its way through the House of Lords. An issue I have led the campaign on for over a year and I delighted the government have accepted  that this must legislate to tighten up on the weal legislation that exists.


I am also pleased to see that my amendments requiring itinerant metal collectors to display large visible license

Tories try to wreck Scrap Metal Dealers Bill

Backbench Tories tried to wreck last weeks Scrap Metal Traders Bill the Bill sponsor Richard Ottaway MP has revealed.

What sort of mindset do these MPs have I would ask? This bill had universal support of the public and crucially the industry. The consequences in cost and disruption run into £hundreds of millions. Add on top the theft of historic plaques and artwork and in particular war

Scrap Metal Dealers Bill - progress report

The Private Member’s Bill to reform the scrap metal industry is about to go through to report stage on Friday, 9th November.

The scourge of metal theft that blights all of our constituencies.

Scrap Metal Dealers Bill 2012 proposes a rigorous licensing scheme that ensures every sale of scrap metal is accounted for, and that all people trading in scrap are doing so legitimately. For too long

Scrap Metal Dealers Bill 2012 - Minister gives way to my amendment on vehicle badging

Last year I began a campaign to amend the Scrap Metal Dealers Act 1964. I tabled a private members bill which had widespread support. The government defeated it and brought forward a similar bill, sponsored by Richard Ottaway MP.

In September it passed committee stage successfully.




Whilst the bill is a huge step forward, the government having given way on the controversial part of the bill

Scrap Metal Dealers Bill passes through committee stage

As observant watchers may realise, I have been at the forefront nationally of trying to tackle the costly crime of metal theft.

Doing live TV news and an incredible amount of media, broadcast, online video and written has been fascinating.

So it has been pleasing to see Richard Ottaway MP private member's Scrap Metal Dealers Bill, albeit a dressed up version of my private members bill last