§ Mr. PageTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many convictions for fly tipping have been obtained in each of the last five years. [56971]
§ Mr. Meacher[holding answer 16 May 2002]: Local authorities and the Environment Agency may prosecute for fly tipping offences. Between 1996 and 2001, the agency recorded prosecutions for general waste offences on a financial year basis. The data do not distinguish fly tipping offences from other waste offences. From 1 April 1999, the agency recorded whether an incident involves the unlawful deposit of waste and whether prosecutions led to convictions or acquittals. This information is given in the tables. No central register is kept of local authorities' prosecutions.
Prosecutions (England and Wales) General waste offences Unlawful deposit of waste1 1996–97 241 — 1997–98 345 — 1998–99 367 — 1999–2000 342 219 2000–01 439 225 2001–02 — 264
Convictions (England and Wales) Unlawful deposit of waste1 1999–2000 211 2000–01 210 2001–02 253 1Prosecutions under section 33(1)(a) of the Environmental Protection Act 1990.
§ Mr. Laurence RobertsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent discussions she has had with district councils about fly-tipping; and if she will make a statement. [60098]
§ Mr. Meacher[holding answer 10 June 2002]: I have had no recent discussions with district councils specifically about fly tipping. However, these councils are represented by the Local Government Association on the fly tipping stakeholders' forum. The forum, chaired by the Environment Agency, provides an important channel for views on fly tipping to be shared anmong a range of stakeholders, including Government.
I also attended recently the all party waste group's seminar on environmental crime, which discussed fly tipping, and which was attended by representatives from a number of local authorities.