Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 19 June 2018 to Question 153803 on Metals: Theft, if he will bring forward legislative proposals to ban squatting in commercial properties to prevent the theft of (a) metal and (b) other commodities from those properties.

We have no plans to legislate to ban squatting in commercial properties to prevent the theft of metals of other commodities. The police can already take action if those who squat in such premises commit crimes when entering or staying in such premises, including crimes relating to criminal damages and thefts.