Metal Thefts (Electricity Industry)

Jim Shannon Excerpts

Tuesday 6th September 2011 Commons Chamber

[Charles Hendry]

The first priority, as I am sure the hon. Gentleman understands, is to decide what are the best courses of action and determine what needs primary legislation and what can be done through secondary legislation. We are at the stage before that, but I hope that I am showing him that, with the new Minister, Baroness Browning, coming in, a great sense of urgency is being given to the sort of solution he has been highlighting.

Baroness Browning also spoke about closer links to environmental legislation and the licensing requirements for waste management and the need for more stringent identification requirements when selling metal, to identify both the seller and the owner of the material. The current regime requires little more than any name written down on the dealer’s records. The power to close scrap metal yards where there is clear evidence of sustained illegal activity is being considered, as is the possibility of moving away from cash as a method of payment for this industry, thereby removing the perceived easy access to cash. We are absolutely looking at the issue the hon. Gentleman has highlighted. If there are any other issues on the list he set out, I will ensure that they are on the agenda for the meeting so that we look at the full range of possible options.

[Jim Shannon (Strangford) (DUP)]

There seems to be an insatiable demand for scrap metal in other parts of the world. Like many others in the Chamber, I suspect that the metals are ending up in the far east. Does the Minister intend to have more stringent export controls?

[Charles Hendry]

Part of the purpose of looking at the issue as an organised crime activity is that it gives us a much greater ability to look at it internationally. The hon. Member for Hyndburn highlighted how action is being taken in other European countries, and there is certainly a need for an international co-ordination of approaches—better understanding and better information sharing—so that when things are happening through an international chain, we can pursue them and make sure that the relevant people are brought to justice in the most appropriate regime.

The Government have no desire to target or hinder the perfectly legitimate and valuable green economy work undertaken by the vast majority of law-abiding scrap metal dealers. However, elements of the industry are facilitating the theft of metals, and steps must be taken to shut such disposal routes.

I thank the hon. Member for Hyndburn for securing this important debate. I assure him and the House that the Government take the issue very seriously. We will be having the meeting next week, on a cross-departmental basis, and the issues that he has highlighted will be addressed then. As I have explained, we are determined to address the issue, which is causing massive inconvenience, great threats and a really serious challenge to people working in the industry.

Question put and agreed to.