§ 10. Mr. Bob Blizzard (Waveney) (Lab)What steps she is taking to reduce the amount of litter dropped in public places. [180213]
§ The Minister for the Environment and Agri-environment (Mr. Elliot Morley)We are undertaking a number of initiatives aimed at reducing litter in public places. These include introducing a voluntary code of practice for the fast food industry, revising the code of practice on litter and refuse, issuing guidance to responsible bodies on dealing with drug-related litter, and reducing the irresponsible disposal of chewing gum. We also fund ENCAMS, the charity that runs the Keep Britain Tidy campaign, to undertake targeted public campaigns aimed at changing behaviour.
§ Mr. BlizzardDoes my hon. Friend agree that, as well as spending millions of pounds on cleaning up litter, we 1448 should do much more to deal with the people who drop it? I introduced two private Members' Bills on this subject, and I was delighted that the Government introduced section 119 of the Local Government Act 2003, which gave local authorities the power to retain revenue from fixed-penalty fines to enforce the law. However, some councils do not take advantage of that power, and I am sorry to say that one such is my own Waveney district council. What can my hon. Friend do to ensure that councils do what is expected of them, and make the polluter pay?
§ Mr. MorleyI am very concerned to hear that my hon. Friend's local council has not taken up the power that it has been given, especially as my hon. Friend deserves much credit for changing the law to allow local authorities to keep she revenue accruing from the fines that they levy for littering. That is a very unusual facility, and it allows councils to plough back the money into tackling the important quality-of-life issue that is the litter problem. We meet the Local Government Association regularly, and I assure my hon. Friend that I shall take the matter up in those discussions.
§ Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York) (Con)It is clear that the Government's action has not worked. There has been a 12 per cent. increase in litter in the past year and—given that the Minister mentioned chewing gum—a 94 per cent. increase in chewing gum droppings. Westminster city council issued 21,000 litter fines in the past five years, whereas Bath council issued only one. When will the Minister get tough on litter and tough on the causes of litter? When will he require councils to levy fines in a uniform manner?
§ Mr. MorleyThe hon. Lady will know that the Government's relationship with local government means that local councils have a great deal of autonomy about their choices and responsibilities. I am very glad that some local authorities take the litter problem seriously, and we are backing that up with our talks with the industry about matters such as the serious problem posed by chewing gum. Also, ENCAMS provides funding for awareness campaigns that are aimed specifically at young people—although I am sorry to say that the problem of littering is not confined to them. We want all local authorities to meet the standards of the best, which is why we have the local government quality programme. As I told my hon. Friend the Member for Waveney (Mr. Blizzard), we talk to the LGA regularly about this matter. That organisation would be concerned if local authorities, having been given as much autonomy as is possible, were not using it effectively in the interests of the people whom they are elected to serve.