YORKSHIRE STONE THEFTS

That this House expresses concern at the rising levels of stone theft across Yorkshire, with schools, homes, farms and churches all being targets by thieves; notes that Leeds City Council has had to replace £50,000 of stone stolen from the city's pavements, a 50 per cent rise from last year, and that West Yorkshire Police have seen an 18 per cent increase in theft of Yorkshire stone in the last year; further notes that many thefts take place during the day with thieves dressed as workmen in high-visibility jackets; notes that police believe some of the stone is sold on to the building trade and mostly taken by rogue builders; expresses strong concern that the stone thefts mean Yorkshire's heritage is being stripped back; commends the previous government for acting urgently to deal with the same problem affecting scrap theft by passing the Scrap Metal Dealers Act 2013; notes that this led to a 40 per cent fall in the number of offences during the first three months following the passing of the Act; calls for a dedicated stone theft taskforce to be set up, similar to the National Metal Theft Taskforce, and stronger fines and sentences to deter further thefts; further calls for a national awareness-raising campaign for households and businesses to check where their stone is from; and believes these and other actions are urgently needed if Yorkshire's heritage is to be properly protected.