HL Deb 21 June 1977 vol 384 cc534-7

2.42 p.m.

Lord DAVIES of LEEK

My Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.

The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government how many people have been brought before the courts, and how many fined, for spreading and depositing litter in the countryside and cities since the passing of the Litter Acts.

The PARLIAMENTARY UNDERSECRETARY OF STATE, DEPARTMENT of the ENVIRONMENT (Baroness Birk)

My Lords, between 1958 and 1975, there were 42,075 prosecutions under the Litter Acts of 1958 and 1971. Fines were imposed in 39,224 of these cases.

Lord DAVIES of LEEK

My Lords, while thanking my noble friend for that Answer, may I ask her whether she is aware that, in her honour, in my lapel I am now wearing the Keep Britain Tidy badge as one of my Jubilee decorations? Further, is she aware that the mountains of scattered oddments that pollute the countryside and the cities are a testimony to the Philistine nature of the acquisitive society in which we live, which has forgotten that cleanliness is next to godliness? Finally, will she tell me what can be done to impress upon society that Britain is still one of the most beautiful countries in the world, and that we want to make it more beautiful still?

Baroness BIRK

My Lords, I am very glad that my noble friend is wearing the little gift that I gave him. In answer to the first part of his supplementary question, Yes, I am sure that he is absolutely right, and lie has expressed himself in far more elegant terms than I, or most other people could do. As regards what we are doing, an intensive effort is being made continuously by the Keep Britain Tidy group. This group has full Government support, which includes quite substantial financial support, and it campaigns continuously against litter of all kinds, at both national and local levels. One of the problems of doing very much more centrally, or even locally, is the demand that that would make upon public expenditure. But I entirely agree with my noble friend, and anything that can be done to publicise the awful effect that this has on our towns, cities and rural areas should be done. I think my noble friend will be pleased to know that there is a great educational effort going on in the schools and this, again, has been promoted by the Keep Britain Tidy group.

Lord INGLEWOOD

My Lords, can the noble Baroness tell us how far this campaign can be pushed forward without putting extra work on the police, who have other things to do? Is this something in which local authorities can take the lead?

Baroness BIRK

My Lords, some local authorities are already making their statements on this question, although, again, because of expenditure problems, it has been impossible to implement that provision in the Control of Pollution Act; for instance, Northumberland is very far ahead. There is a great deal being done on the media. Both inde- pendent television and BBC television, as well as radio, give a lot of free time while the newspapers and a great many industrial firms are also contributing very much, both in kind and in donations, to this campaign.

Baroness SHARPLES

My Lords, can the noble Baroness please stress the danger to animals caused by leaving litter of all kinds, especially plastic? I am thinking of farm animals.

Baroness BIRK

Yes, my Lords. This is being stressed; and one of the objects of part of the Keep Britain Tidy campaign, which is known as Project Spiky—it is a hedgehog—is to stress the damage that can be caused in the rural areas, both to agriculture and to animals.

Lord DE CLIFFORD

My Lords, where local councils have placed litter bins, which they have done in large quantities in my area, would it be possible for the noble Baroness to encourage them to clear those litter bins rather quicker than they are doing at the moment? The public are using them in increasing numbers, and the amount of litter which lies around them needs to be cleared much quicker than is the case at the moment.

Baroness BIRK

My Lords, this, again, is very often a problem of manpower, and it also involves the question of public expenditure. What is much more effective is if people, locally, press their local authorities on the question of collection and all try to do what they can in this campaign. But the more publicity this has the better.

Baroness YOUNG

My Lords, will the noble Baroness agree that one of the reasons why litter baskets are not emptied more frequently is, of course, cost? Also, has she any evidence about the schemes for taking litter home? These are quite often introduced in National Parks, where one is provided with a bag on entering the Park. What has been the result of those schemes?

Baroness BIRK

My Lords, my main experience is in the Royal Parks. Hyde Park and St. James's Park often have problems, but certainly in Regent's Park and in the other parks people respect and use the litter baskets. But we know that where places are kept tidy, whether it is parks, restaurants or cities, people are much less likely to throw things away. However, one of the problems is that of all the packaging that exists in our society, a matter which was referred to by my noble friend.

Lord BLYTON

My Lords, would my noble friend agree that a lecture ought to be given to some of the Lords in this place, because they just leave the litter arising from their correspondence lying about for somebody else to pick up and put in the wastepaper baskets?

Baroness BIRK

My Lords, I did not know that such awful things went on. But my noble friend has obviously delivered the lecture for me.

Lord DUNCAN-SANDYS

My Lords, since, while prosecutions may be necessary, the only real solution is the education of public opinion. Is the noble Baroness aware that general satisfaction will be felt that the Government are continuing to give support and encouragement to the Keep Britain Tidy campaign?

Baroness BIRK

My Lords, I thank the noble Lord very much.