Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she has taken to ensure the safety of metal scrapyards.

Safety at metal scrapyards is regulated in a number of ways. Environmental permits or exemptions issued by the Environment Agency are required to ensure the safety of the environment and human health from pollution risks, including managing fire risks; the Scrap Metal Dealers Act 2013 requires scrap metal dealers to be licensed by the local authority to verify the identity of sellers, and prohibits cash payments, making it harder for criminals to sell stolen metal; and the health and safety of those working at metal scrapyards is covered by health and safety legislation regulated by the Health and Safety Executive.