RECORD levels of metal theft have re-ignited Government plans to ban cash payments at scrap yards.

But a Linthwaite scrap metal boss has repeated his claims that the changes won’t work.

Thieves ripped more copper and lead from churches than ever before last year, according to church insurer Ecclesiastical.

More than 2,500 claims were made to the main Church of England insurer in 2011, surpassing the previous highest figure of more than 2,400 in 2008.

Meanwhile the British Transport Police said over £13 million of metal had been stolen from the railways over the last three years.

They revealed rail operators had suffered more than 6,000 incidents of metal theft between April, 2008, and October, 2011, half of which saw the loss of vital equipment required to ensure the safe and efficient running of the railways.

Earlier this week, Home Office minister, Lord Henley, said the 1964 Scrap Metal Dealers Act was “well past its sell by date” and said a cashless system could be brought in.

People selling scrap could also be required to register and face identity checks.

But the plan has already been slammed as “unworkable” by Linthwaite scrap metal boss Mark Schofield.

Mr Schofield, 52, who has suffered numerous raids on his own business, said changing to a cashless system would not deter criminals. He said: “A cashless system doesn’t prove any kind of crime, it just proves I paid someone for scrap metal.

“I’m doing 50 transactions a day but some yards are doing 200.

“If I have to log on to internet banking every time I want to pay someone it’s just not going to work.

“Having to register to sell is also a nonsense, people will just chuck it out. For a Government that’s trying to cut down on bureaucracy that will achieve nothing.

“The metal recycling industry achieves almost a 100% recycle rate, something that the rest of the recycling world can only dream about.”

Mr Schofield said the authorities already had adequate legislation to enforce the law as the 1964 Act required him to keep a ‘Police Book’ of all transactions.

He said: “The police have been told to visit me once a week when they could be doing something better.

“They already have a divine right to look at the book, they don’t even have to ask nicely, but most of them don’t know it.

“They don’t use the scrap dealers act. I’ve never heard of one single case of it being used so why are they trying to change it?”

Colne Valley MP, Jason McCartney, visited Mr Schofield’s yard yesterday and said he would be looking very closely at the proposal.

He said: “Whatever the government does it shouldn’t harm reputable businesses – they’re an important part of the local and national economy and of course they are recycling natural materials. It’s the criminals that need to be punished not the good businesses.

“We need to get convictions for thefts up and they need to give severe sentences to discourage people from doing it.”

Meanwhile half of the public (50%) said they would strongly support tougher sentencing for criminals convicted of stealing metal from churches or other places of worship and a further 29% would “tend to support” such measures.

Some 18% of adults said metal theft had had a direct impact on their employment or personal lives in terms of its effect on transport, energy networks and farming since 2007.

The survey of 2,058 UK adults was conducted for Ecclesiastical by YouGov between December 13 and 15.

Ecclesiastical insures more than 95% of Church of England churches.