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Backbench debate on Tuesday, 7 February 2012, in the House of Commons, led by Graham P Jones. The answering member was Baroness Featherstone.

Metal Theft

Unallotted backbench debate (half day). Agreed to on question.

Secondary information

Type
Parliamentary proceeding
Reference
540 c237-74 
Session
2010-12
Department
Home Office
Chamber / Committee
House of Commons chamber
Related items
Proceeding contributions
Tony Baldry | 540 c263-4 (Link to this contribution) I will try to observe your admonition, Mr Deputy Speaker. On behalf of the Church of England, I tha...
Henry Smith | 540 c264-5 (Link to this contribution) I congratulate the hon. Member for Hyndburn (Graham Jones) on securing this debate. As my hon. Frien...
Show all contributions (79)
Julian Sturdy | 540 c265-6 (Link to this contribution) As we have heard, the explosion of metal theft in recent years has affected churches, railways lines...
Fiona Bruce | 540 c266-7 (Link to this contribution) As a member of the all-party group on combating metal theft, whose offices initiated this debate, I ...
Speaker | 540 c267 (Link to this contribution) Order. I call James Morris—to sit down at 9.38 pm.
James Morris | 540 c267 (Link to this contribution) There have been many disturbing instances in my constituency relating to metal theft. Just before Ch...
Speaker | 540 c267 (Link to this contribution) Order. I am terribly sorry. I call Mr David Hanson.
Ian Swales | 540 c261-2 (Link to this contribution) I, too, congratulate the Members who have initiated this debate, which, as we can tell by the turnou...
Russell Brown | 540 c262-3 (Link to this contribution) I, too, congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Hyndburn (Graham Jones) and other hon. Members wh...
Mark Spencer | 540 c258 (Link to this contribution) I congratulate the Backbench Business Committee on securing this debate, and colleagues from all sid...
Lord Hart of Tenby | 540 c258-9 (Link to this contribution) Another example, in agricultural areas, is where metal thieves nick gates, which is not only inconve...
Nick Smith | 540 c257 (Link to this contribution) Does my hon. Friend agree that there is a massive problem with cable theft from the Welsh train serv...
Sian C James | 540 c257-8 (Link to this contribution) Certainly. I will refer to that later. Cable theft has grown. My own office was struck twice just b...
Paul Blomfield | 540 c260-1 (Link to this contribution) My hon. Friend is painting an appalling picture of one particular rogue operator. In South Yorkshire...
Robert Flello | 540 c261 (Link to this contribution) I agree with my hon. Friend. We need a complete review of everything relating to the scrap metal tra...
Mark Spencer | 540 c259-60 (Link to this contribution) I thank my hon. Friend for that intervention. One cannot underestimate the potentially disastrous co...
Robert Flello | 540 c260 (Link to this contribution) I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Hyndburn (Graham Jones), the hon. Members for Dudley So...
Andrew Stephenson | 540 c256-7 (Link to this contribution) I share my hon. Friend's disgust. It is a classic example of some of the disgraceful incidents that ...
Sian C James | 540 c257 (Link to this contribution) I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Hyndburn (Graham Jones) on securing this debate. I am ...
Robert Flello | 540 c273 (Link to this contribution) Would it not be extremely embarrassing for this country if the Olympics were disrupted by metal thef...
Graham P Jones | 540 c273-4 (Link to this contribution) I say politely to my hon. Friend, ““It wouldn't be very good, would it?”” It would not be a good adv...
Speaker | 540 c274 (Link to this contribution) Before we come to the next business, may I say that this clearly was a popular debate and apologise ...
Graham P Jones | 540 c273 (Link to this contribution) First, I welcome the Minister's words, because we are beginning to move in the right direction. We s...
Graham P Jones | 540 c273 (Link to this contribution) I am grateful to the Minister for giving way, and I have just a simple and straightforward question....
Baroness Featherstone | 540 c273 (Link to this contribution) Government Front Benchers will not oppose the motion tonight, and I am sure that hon. Members on bot...
Baroness Featherstone | 540 c272-3 (Link to this contribution) I am sorry, but I really want to make some particular points. If I have a minute at the end I will g...
Baroness Featherstone | 540 c271 (Link to this contribution) I will not, as I am really short of time. That is why we took the difficult decision not to support...
Lord Hanson of Flint | 540 c268-70 (Link to this contribution) Serious organised crime as well as opportunistic individuals are behind metal theft. Cable theft ca...
Baroness Featherstone | 540 c270-1 (Link to this contribution) I congratulate the Backbench Business Committee on securing a debate on an issue that rightly concer...
Tobias Ellwood | 540 c268 (Link to this contribution) In Bournemouth, we find that it is not just individuals who steal metal but organised groups. Does t...
Mark Garnier | 540 c250-1 (Link to this contribution) I am grateful for that intervention. Not only are a lot of dealers not insured, but many are not eve...
Robin Walker | 540 c253-4 (Link to this contribution) Absolutely. My hon. Friend makes an excellent point. It is not a victimless crime. The many utiliti...
Baroness Morgan of Cotes | 540 c253 (Link to this contribution) One category of theft that has not been mentioned so far in the debate is the theft of gold. That is...
Andrew Stephenson | 540 c255-6 (Link to this contribution) I welcome today's debate and commend the Members who were responsible for securing it. I want to hig...
Tom Blenkinsop | 540 c254-5 (Link to this contribution) I support today's motion, tabled by my hon. Friend the Member for Hyndburn (Graham Jones) and the ho...
Steve Rotheram | 540 c251-2 (Link to this contribution) I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Hyndburn (Graham Jones) on securing this debate and on ...
Robin Walker | 540 c252-3 (Link to this contribution) I am pleased to be able to speak in this timely debate about a problem that has become endemic, and ...
Steve Rotheram | 540 c252 (Link to this contribution) No, I will make some progress. Even some of our churches have been hit by metal thieves. The stripp...
Andrew Percy | 540 c256 (Link to this contribution) While my hon. Friend is discussing war memorials, I want to place on record the fact that last July ...
Louise Ellman | 540 c249-50 (Link to this contribution) I thank the hon. Lady for her comments and recognise what she says, but the Committee advocates a co...
Mark Garnier | 540 c250 (Link to this contribution) I, too, congratulate those hon. Members who have managed to secure this debate. It is an incredibly ...
Gavin Williamson | 540 c250 (Link to this contribution) In South Staffordshire my local district council has worked closely with the police to crack down on...
John Leech | 540 c248-9 (Link to this contribution) I would like to start by congratulating the hon. Members for Hyndburn (Graham Jones), for Dudley Sou...
Speaker | 540 c249 (Link to this contribution) Order. I call Mrs Louise Ellman.
Louise Ellman | 540 c249 (Link to this contribution) I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Hyndburn (Graham Jones) and other hon. Members on their...
Nadine Dorries | 540 c249 (Link to this contribution) Much of that work can be done in conjunction with the police and local councils. The Localism Act 20...
Speaker | 540 c247-8 (Link to this contribution) Order. A large number of Members wish to speak, as can be seen from looking around the Chamber. I kn...
David Wright | 540 c246-7 (Link to this contribution) My hon. Friend is absolutely right. We need to discuss the knock-on effects on businesses and on the...
Heather Wheeler | 540 c245 (Link to this contribution) My hon. Friend is absolutely right, but how do we have a robust licensing process that is not too on...
Jack Dromey | 540 c245 (Link to this contribution) St Mary's Church in Erdington has been robbed four times of the lead on its roof. Does the hon. Lady...
Heather Wheeler | 540 c245 (Link to this contribution) My hon. Friend makes a good point. There are voluntary agreements, but the difficulty is when cables...
Edward Leigh | 540 c245 (Link to this contribution) My hon. Friend the Member for Brigg and Goole (Andrew Percy) mentioned Lincolnshire, where I too hav...
David Wright | 540 c246 (Link to this contribution) I do, and I shall come on to the gangs who travel round estates taking property from people, often f...
Heather Wheeler | 540 c245 (Link to this contribution) Absolutely right. One of the most robust statements by the Home Secretary was about her stance on th...
David Wright | 540 c245-6 (Link to this contribution) May I begin by paying tribute to my hon. Friend the Member for Hyndburn (Graham Jones) on securing t...
Andrew Percy | 540 c244 (Link to this contribution) As a former councillor, my hon. Friend will know that local authorities, which license alcohol and g...
Heather Wheeler | 540 c244 (Link to this contribution) Metal theft has been a major issue in Derbyshire. Since October alone, more than 800 crimes have bee...
Mark Tami | 540 c238 (Link to this contribution) My hon. Friend mentioned church roofs. Is he aware that insurance companies now have a £5,000 limit ...
Graham P Jones | 540 c238-9 (Link to this contribution) I am aware of that, and it appears that that figure is falling as a result of the escalation in lead...
Graham P Jones | 540 c239-40 (Link to this contribution) I have only 10 minutes available and I would like to make some progress. In 2010, only 21 people we...
Chris Kelly | 540 c240-1 (Link to this contribution) My interest in this vital subject was sparked by the near-nightly chronicling of metal thefts in the...
Nadine Dorries | 540 c241 (Link to this contribution) Does my hon. Friend agree that many of the vehicles that transport stolen metal have been filled wit...
Chris Kelly | 540 c241-2 (Link to this contribution) I thank my hon. Friend for that intervention. There is certainly a loss to the Exchequer and one oft...
Alan Campbell | 540 c242-3 (Link to this contribution) May I begin by congratulating my hon. Friend the Member for Hyndburn (Graham Jones) on the way he in...
Robert Flello | 540 c243 (Link to this contribution) I am enjoying my hon. Friend's speech immensely. I am sure that, like me, he goes on operations with...
Alan Campbell | 540 c244 (Link to this contribution) Yes. It is important that we give the police powers to do something about that situation. If I was s...
Graham P Jones | 540 c238 (Link to this contribution) I would like to make some progress, if possible. The British Transport police state that there are ...
Andrew Murrison | 540 c238 (Link to this contribution) Will the hon. Gentleman give way?
Graham P Jones | 540 c238 (Link to this contribution) My right hon. Friend is absolutely right and many in the House will share his view.
Lord Spellar | 540 c237-8 (Link to this contribution) Is not one of the key factors the disproportionate relationship between the value of the metal being...
Graham P Jones | 540 c237 (Link to this contribution) I beg to move,"That this House notes that metal theft is becoming a serious issue for the UK; welcom...
Speaker | 540 c237 (Link to this contribution) Before we start this debate, may I inform the House that 20 Members have asked to speak in it and we...
Baroness Chapman of Darlington | 540 c246 (Link to this contribution) My hon. Friend mentioned catalytic converters, which reminds me of a case in Darlington. The owners ...
Speaker | 540 c263 (Link to this contribution) Order. Six Members are trying to catch my eye. The winding-up speeches will begin at 9.38 pm, so bre...
Lord Hanson of Flint | 540 c267-8 (Link to this contribution) Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker. I start by thanking my hon. Friend the Member for Hyndburn (Graham Jon...
Robert Flello | 540 c246 (Link to this contribution) One of my constituents recently faced a ridiculous situation. They cleaned their fridge-freezer, put...
Subjects
Churches Licensing Energy supply Electric cables Police Powers Railways Prices Monuments Metals Regulation Theft
Legislation
Scrap Metal Dealers Act 1964
Link
View this Parliamentary proceeding on www.publications.parliament.uk