A recent Government ruling is to make it illegal for scrap metal dealers to pay their providers in cash, in an effort to curb the amount of metal thefts that are currently occurring in the UK.

Metal theft is estimated to cost the economy £770 million, with thieves targeting the transport system, schools, churches and even war monuments in an effort to get their hands on more scrap metal.

The measures fall short of calls by Labour MP Graham Jones for all scrap sellers to provide proof of identity, however unlimited fines will be introduced for those who are caught dealing in scrap metals.

Around 1,000 offences are believed to take place every week, which is a number that MPs are looking to drop with a new clause in the Legal Aid Bill.

In addition the Government is also ready to scrap the £1,000 limit on fines for trading stolen scrap metal. The measures should come into force in April and make the latest efforts by the Government to clean up the scrap metal industry.