The British Metals Recycling Association (BMRA) welcomes the Government's move to instigate an early review of the Scrap Metal Dealers Act (SMDA), an outcome we have been requesting all year. While we are concerned over the short timeframe for interested parties to make their submissions, we hope that the Government seizes the opportunity to bring more rigour to a number of provisions of the Act.

It would be short-sighted to conclude that with falling metal theft figures seemingly indicating that the Act is working, nothing need be changed. It is more likely that interventions such as Operation Tornado started the downward trend before the SMDA was implemented and that this downward trend was perpetuated by record-low metal prices. As prices begin to increase, we are reportedly seeing a corresponding increase in metal theft.

As an industry and a country, we cannot afford to be complacent; we need to strengthen the Act and commit specific police funding to enforcement too.

The Association will be seeking evidence from our members regarding the limitations of the Act, to inform our submission to the Home Office. At the same time, we will look to work with other partners to enhance and broaden the evidence we submit to support our submission.