HC Deb 05 March 2003 vol 400 cc1013-4W
Norman Baker

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how much has been levied in fines by local authorities against(a) companies, (b) local authorities and (c) individuals, with regard to incidences of pollution, broken down by type of pollution incidence (i) in total, (ii) in each region and (iii) per fine in each year since 1995. [99256]

Alun Michael

Local authorities' main pollution control responsibilities are under Parts I, III and IV of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 (industrial air pollution control, statutory nuisance, and litter respectively) and the Clean Air Act 1993.

With regard to Part I of the Environmental Protection Act 1990, I refer the hon. Member to my reply to his question 190 on the order page of 21 February 2003,

The Department holds no data on Part III of the Environmental Protection Act 1990.

Total fines in England and Wales with respect to Part IV of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 were as follows. The Department is unable to break down this data by region and is only available from 1997 onwards:

Date Total (£)
1997–98 727
1998–99 4,778
1999–2000 2,970
2000–01 2,310

The Department holds no data on the Clean Air Act 1993.

Local authorities have been informed of the recently-issued toolkit—"Costing the Earth, Guidance for Sentencers"—which my right hon. Friend the Minister for the Environment launched on 20 November 2002, is available on the Magistrates Association website www.magistrates-association.org.uk/news/whats_new.htm