PCCs and congregations across the diocese have been encouraged by the news that The Scrap Metal Dealers Bill has cleared all its hurdles in the House of Commons.

Key elements of the Bill are:

  • a national register of scrap yards
  • police powers of entry to ensure compliance
  • powers to close yards that are trading illegally
  • production of Photo ID at the point of sale
  • cashless transactions only.

The Bill has a wide definition of ‘a scrap dealer’ and will include itinerant collectors and smelting yards. Under current regulations these operations can trade for cash and, if this can continue, it will undermine the impact of cashless trade elsewhere.

The Bill now goes to the House of Lords, making it more likely the reforms will become law. This follows a period of intense campaigning by The Church of England.

Coinciding with this news, church insurer Ecclesiastical has announced that it will start providing refreshed Church Security and Personal Safety guidance and support through its specialist field teams from January 2013.

Ecclesiastical has been providing such guidance and support since 2000 via a sponsorship arrangement with National Churchwatch. Over the last few years, however, the insurer has built up its own internal capability through further training and recruitment of additional expertise into the Group.

If you are interested in arranging a church security or personal safety seminar, contact your local Ecclesiastical insurance consultant and surveyor (IC&S) by clicking here and entering your postcode in the appropriate box.