§ Mr. SheermanTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what(a) the average level of fine imposed on those found guilty of fly-tipping and (b) the maximum fine imposable on those found guilty of fly-tipping are; and how many people were found guilty of fly-tipping in each of the last five years. [111040]
§ Mr. MeacherInformation is not available in the format requested as data on fly tipping prosecutions are not currently collected centrally. However, the Anti-Social Behaviour Bill currently before Parliament includes a provision which, if successful, will mean that these type of data will be recorded in the future.
We do have some information from the Environment Agency on the cases with which it has dealt. The average level of fine imposed for waste handling offences which it has prosecuted has increased from £1,132 in 1996–97 to £3,004 in 2001–02.
The maximum fine for those found guilty of fly tipping can be up to £20,000 and two years imprisonment for incidents involving non-hazardous waste and unlimited fines and five years imprisonment for incidents involving hazardous waste.
711WThe Environment Agency has data for the 1999, 2000, and 2001 calendar years, but these relate to the number of offenders prosecuted for the offence of unlawfully depositing waste as described by section 33(1) (a) of the Environmental Protection Act 1990. Similarly, prosecution data for the 1998–99 financial year are available, but relate only to section 33 offences generally.
Data are provided on this basis.
Offences for breach of all of section 33 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990
1998–99–367
All offences under s33(1)(a) of the Environmental Protection Act 1990
1999–141 (117 individuals; 24 businesses)
2000–206 (170 individuals; 36 businesses)
2001–225 (187 individuals; 38 businesses)
Offences under s33(1)(a)—fly tipping only
2002—70 (59 individuals; 11 businesses)
2003 to date—7 (4 individuals; 3 businesses)
§ Mr. Nigel EvansTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent estimate she has made of the extent of fly-tipping; and if she will make a statement. [111160]
§ Mr. MeacherThere are currently no national data available on the extent of fly-tipping, as statistics on fly tipped waste are not collected centrally. We are hoping to remedy this situation by means of a clause that has been included in the Anti-Social Behaviour Bill currently before Parliament. If successful, the provision will require the Environment Agency and local authorities to submit annual data returns to the Secretary of State on the categories and quantities of fly tipped waste with which they deal.
The Environment Agency has been operating a national incident recording system for the last two years. On the basis of its knowledge, it has estimated that there are approximately 50,000 fly-tipping incidents each year costing approximately £100 million.