The British Metals Recycling Association (BMRA) says is extremely disappointed by the Home Office’s announcement that it will simply retain the Scrap Metal Dealers Act 2013 rather than strengthen it to ensure that, as a piece of legislation, it is fit for purpose.
“We are further dismayed that, despite the rising incidents of metal theft, they have chosen not to allocate funds to enforce the Act through the reestablishment of the Metal Theft Taskforce.”
Instead, says a press release from the group, Government has chosen to take the path of least resistance, thereby ignoring the pleas by the many victims of crime to strengthen the Act. Since the review was announced, we have repeatedly warned that, as metal prices recover, the reports of metal theft will rise – and they have done, significantly.
When the Review was announced, while BMRA firmly supported the move to retain the Act, it in fact pleaded with Government to both further strengthen and enforce the Act. The measures we request to strengthen the Act included:
• Creating disincentives to receive cash payments by creating a new offence of
receiving cash for scrap metal.
• Expanding police powers to inspect itinerant collectors, more specifically given them the power to inspect vehicles used for the purpose of carrying on business as a mobile collector.
• Creating a more rigorous local authority licensing regime to ensure transparency and consistency by: Harmonising licensing renewals procedure; Improving application process; and, strengthening the requirement for local authorities to provide data.
Having ignored these requests for the Act to be amended, says the BMRA, and those made by other key stakeholders, the Home Office must be prepared to be held accountable for soaring metal theft figures, and any resulting injuries to members of the public.
Nevertheless, BMRA says it will gladly take up the Home Office’s offer to help it identify what can be done within the existing legislation to address the serious shortcomings of the SMDA 2013.
