The Scottish Government has announced proposed laws to address metal theft, including a ban on cash transactions for scrap metal recycling.
Energy Networks Association (ENA) organised a Parliamentary Summit with Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill MSP and Stuart McMillan MSP, which set out the need for a ban on cash transactions, a robust licensing scheme and requirements to identify those recycling metal and its origin.
Welcoming the announcement, ENA Chief Executive David Smith said:
“This is a very welcome piece of legislation from the Scottish Government and we would urge these tough new laws to be introduced as soon as possible. The introduction of new legislation for England and Wales has reduced metal thefts by almost 40% in some areas.
“We have already started to see the export of criminal activity north of the border following an effective clamp down in northern England and we look forward to working with the Scottish Parliament to ensure new laws are as effective as possible and can be improved upon following the lessons learned in England and Wales.”
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