CoE welcomes law to end 'misery making' scrap metal trade

The theft of metal from church roofs across the UK has cost parishes millions of pounds and done great damage to historic buildings. This week the House of Lords voted in favour of the Scrap Metal Dealers Bill, which now goes forward for Royal Assent.

The Chair of the Church of England's Cathedral and Church Buildings Council, Mrs Anne Sloman, OBE, said: "This has been a long battle. We are absolutely delighted that this two year campaign, led by the CofE's Cathedrals and Church Buildings Council, will now become law. We are thankful that the deleterious and misery making unregulated trade in scrap metal might now be brought to an end through proper regulation leading to a reduction in crime for communities across the country.

"I am grateful for the number of organisations and individuals whose hard work has led to the successful passage of this Bill, not least the Bishop of London, Lord Faulkner of Worcester and the Second Church Estates Commissioner Sir Tony Baldry MP."

The Bill, introduced to the House of Commons as a Private Members Bill by Richard Ottaway MP and to the Lords by Baroness Browning, will introduce effective regulation of the Scrap Metal Trade and finally ends anonymous access to cash for scrap metal.

In March 2011 a report to the Home Office from the Church Buildings Council called for new regulation of scrap yards to regulate the trade effectively and take away the incentive for metal theft. The regulation called for has been given in the Act, consolidating cashless trading, a licensing system, a national register of scrap yards and compulsory taking of identification at the point of sale. The police will have powers of entry to enforce the new regulations and to close yards where illegal activity is suspected.

Source: CoE Comms

For more information on one of the campaigns supporting this Bill see: www.ecclesiastical.com/ChurchMatters/churchguidance/churchsecurity/roof-alarms/index.aspx