Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Fly-tipping

Thursday 8 May 2025 · 2 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 0 Partly answered 2 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Gregor Poynton met with the West Lothian Litter Pickers to discuss fly-tipping issues in Livingston constituency.
  • Mr Richard Holden met with the Philpot family at Barleylands farm to address fly-tipping concerns affecting local farmers.
  • Fly-tipping is acknowledged as a significant problem for both community groups and farmers across constituencies.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Gregor Poynton Lab Livingston
Environment
Context

Fly-tipping incidents increased by 20% under the previous government, leaving communities overwhelmed with waste. The West Lothian Litter Pickers in Livingston are actively working to reduce fly-tipping but face challenges.

Question

I recently had the pleasure of meeting with the West Lothian Litter Pickers, who are doing so much in my Livingston constituency to reduce the causes and symptoms of fly-tipping and littering, but it is scandalous that their work is needed. In Scotland, the latest figures show that only 1.2% of fly-tipping incidents have resulted in a fixed penalty notice and a mere 0.2% in a criminal prosecution. Does the Minister agree that, in sharp contrast with this UK Labour Government, who are taking a zero-tolerance approach and cracking down on fly-tipping, the Scottish Government’s record in this area is, quite frankly, rubbish?

Answer from The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Mary Creagh)

I am sorry to hear that the SNP Government are not taking firm action, but perhaps where we have led the way, they would like to follow. I congratulate West Lothian Litter Pickers and pay tribute to Keep Britain Tidy, whose Great British spring clean, backed by the Daily Mirror, helped to tackle the 30 million tonnes of litter discarded on our streets each year, including 5 billion cigarette butts. Each cigarette butt can poison 1,000 litres of water.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Specific agreement or disagreement with Scottish Government's record was not given

How: Calm Down, Weaving In A Farms Question

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Q2 Richard Holden Con Basildon and Billericay
Agriculture & Rural Affairs Environment
Context

Fly-tipping is a major concern for farmers, especially with the impact of national insurance tax increases and agricultural property relief rises. The Philpot family at Barleylands farm are among those working to address it.

Question

I recently met with the Philpot family at the diverse and successful Barleylands farm in my constituency. Fly-tipping is a major concern for them and other local farmers, and they are working together to address it. They told me that, although fly-tipping is a major issue, it is not the existential threat that the tax increases this Labour Government are imposing on them are, with the national insurance tax increases and the massive rises in agricultural property relief and business property relief. They are right, are they not?

Answer from The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Mary Creagh)

I congratulate the right hon. Gentleman on weaving in a farms question on fly-tipping, but he is right—[Interruption.] Calm down. We know that fly-tipping is a very big problem for farmers. I have visited fly-tipping sites near Watford in the last month and spoken to farmers about what they have to do to clear them up. It is clear that many Tory-run county councils are not playing their part in cleaning up fly-tipping and making the prosecutions that act as a disincentive to these criminal businesses and their business models.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Did not directly address concerns about national insurance tax increases and agricultural property relief rises

How: Calm Down, Weaving In A Farms Question

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