§ Mr. GardinerTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the amount councils have spent in each of the last 10 years on removing chewing gum from pavements. [116003]
§ Alun MichaelWe have made no specific assessment of the costs incurred by local authorities in cleaning gum in each of the last 10 years but local authorities have told us that costs are high.
We are currently in discussions with gum manufacturers and interested parties about measures to effectively tackle the irresponsible disposal of chewing gum.
§ Mr. GardinerTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions she has had with the chewing gum industry to assess the feasibility of changing ingredients in gum so they are less likely to stick to pavements. [116004]
§ Alun MichaelI and my officials are in discussions with gum manufacturers and other interested parties about what to do about the irresponsible disposal of chewing gum. These discussions include reference to biodegradable chewing gum as well as practical measures to promote responsible behaviour by users.