AUSTIN “HUGELY DISAPPOINTED” AFTER GOVERTNMENT BLOCK ACTION ON METAL THEFT

Dudley MP Ian Austin has spoken out after the Government blocked legislation to deal with metal theft.

A bill which had cross-party support and would have seen the introduction of cashless payments, photo id and much stricter licensing arrangements for scrap metal yards, was blocked by the Government when read in Parliament last Friday.

Dudley North MP Ian Austin has campaigned for urgent action to tackle the problem and says the delay will come as a “huge disappointment” to local businesses and residents plagued by the problem.

Ian Austin MP said:

“The Tories keep talking about tackling metal theft, but talk is cheap when they block the bill which would have done something about it.

“Metal theft cost the West Midlands £27million last year. Businesses are being hurt and ordinary people are being hit too. Home owners are facing power cuts, commuters facing delays and churches and schools being forced to close. Sickeningly, war memorials are even being targeted.

"Faced with crime on this scale, the Government is being far too slow to act. The decision to oppose this bill proves that the Home Office is all too happy to turn a blind eye to this increasingly serious crime.”