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Fly-tipping
03 September 2024
Lead MP
Deirdre Costigan
Ealing Southall
Lab
Responding Minister
Mary Creagh
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Word Count: 9209
Other Contributors: 16
At a Glance
Deirdre Costigan raised concerns about fly-tipping in Westminster Hall. A government minister responded.
Key Requests to Government:
I urge the government to implement a national strategy to combat fly-tipping, including a national fly-tip investigation team, revised sentencing guidelines, and reform of the waste carrier licensing scheme. I also ask for stronger rules regarding bins in houses converted into flats and funding for councils to carry out rigorous inspections.
How the Debate Unfolded
MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said:
Lead Contributor
I am concerned about the impact of fly-tipping on communities in Ealing Southall. Over a million cases of fly-tipping are recorded annually, with one-third occurring in London. The issue is exacerbated by overcrowded housing and a lack of outside space for bins. Only 1% of fly-tips result in court prosecution due to funding cuts to councils, leading to ineffective deterrents. Magistrates often do not take the issue seriously enough, and waste carrier licensing is lax. Additionally, many people admit to fly-tipping themselves, often through black-sack dumping.
Afzal Khan
Lab
Manchester Rusholme
The Keep Manchester Tidy partnership saw a record number of volunteers participating in litter-picking events this year, emphasising the importance of community action against fly-tipping.
Anna Dixon
Lab
Shipley
Asked the hon. Member for Eastbourne to give way during his speech. In Shipley, local government budget cuts have forced the closure of waste and recycling centres, potentially leading to an increase in fly-tipping. The speaker argued that cash-strapped councils cannot solve this problem alone and called for national Government support.
Ayoub Khan
Ind
Birmingham Perry Barr
He questioned whether Birmingham city council should remove hazardous fly-tipping build-up on privately owned land with shared owners, suggesting Government intervention if councils do not act.
Connor Naismith
Lab
Crewe and Nantwich
Connor Naismith reported over 1,200 incidents of fly-tipping in his constituency within a year, costing Cheshire East council nearly £1 million annually to clean up. He stressed the need for a national framework to empower local authorities in enforcement and highlighted the financial and environmental impacts on communities and wildlife.
James Asser
Lab
West Ham and Beckton
He highlighted the financial pressures on councils managing fly-tipping, suggesting that defining fly-tipping goes beyond casual dumping to include low-level littering. He shared a successful initiative in Newham involving education and awareness campaigns, which led to a 64% immediate drop and a 40% long-term reduction in fly-tipping incidents. He stressed the need for tailored solutions across different areas and advocated for a national strategy that encourages sharing of ideas among councils.
Jim Shannon
DUP
Strangford
Jim Shannon highlighted the significant issue of fly-tipping in his constituency, with residents reporting countless incidents weekly. He cited a Northern Ireland Environment Agency report revealing 306 illegal waste sites cleaned up between 2018 and 2020 at a cost of £500,000. Shannon argued for a national strategy to tackle fly-tipping across the UK, urging for accessible waste centres to prevent this crime.
Josh Babarinde
Lib Dem
Eastbourne
Praised the issue of fly-tipping and mentioned that it affects communities across Eastbourne, costing over £200 million annually. He discussed how fly-tipping dishonours community pride and impacts local businesses, workers, environment, farmers, and wildlife. Babarinde highlighted that only 2,000 out of a million annual incidents led to prosecution last year, equating to just 77p per incident in fines.
Lauren Sullivan
Lab
Gravesham
She praised Gravesham borough council for setting up an environmental enforcement team in 2020, which prosecuted 39 cases last year. However, she raised issues such as the lack of access to the DVLA database and the backlog in the courts system that prevents full justice from being served.
Lizzi Collinge
Lab
Morecambe and Lunesdale
Communities in Morecambe are blighted by fly-tipping, which damages community pride. The psychological impact on communities is significant.
Natasha Irons
Lab
Croydon East
Proposed that councils should be given funding for CCTV surveillance and staff to monitor it, with footage used to create an 'online wall of shame' as a deterrent.
Birmingham Erdington
She highlighted the serious impact of fly-tipping on public safety and health, citing an example where a single mother had to climb over waste to reach her home. She noted that in 2022-23, Birmingham city council issued over 270 fixed penalty notices but felt the responsibility should be on private owners to secure their property. The speaker requested an intervention from the Minister regarding fly-tipping issues but no detailed response was provided in the given text.
Robbie Moore
Con
Keighley and Ilkley
Fly-tipping is a serious issue damaging local habitats, creating danger for wildlife, and placing an unfair economic burden on those who clean it up. The speaker highlighted the measures taken by the previous government to tackle fly-tipping but noted that local authorities are not using their powers effectively, such as Bradford council issuing only 86 fixed penalty notices despite receiving over 15,000 reports of fly-tipping.
Rupa Huq
Lab
Ealing Central and Acton
Highlighted the financial burden and logistical issues associated with fly-tipping, noting that over 1 million incidents were reported in 2023. Emphasised the need for a combination of penalties and making waste disposal easier.
Sarah Dyke
Lib Dem
Glastonbury and Somerton
86% of farmers have been affected by fly-tipping this year, with many not reporting due to the complexity of the process. A single reporting mechanism is needed for farmers.
Shaun Davies
Lab
Telford
Councils should be able to recover full costs from polluters when issuing fixed penalty notices for fly-tipping incidents. The speaker agreed with the need for a cross-Government approach to tackle fly-tipping, emphasising its links to organised crime and the roles of various government departments such as the Home Office, Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, and the Ministry of Justice.
Tessa Munt
Lib Dem
Wells and Mendip Hills
Suggested considering a model from Germany where rubbish removal people would come around once a month to take away large items, reducing the burden on those without cars or transportation.
Government Response
Mary Creagh
Government Response
Expressed the importance of a circular economy and highlighted the need for councils to enforce regulations against fly-tipping. She noted that local authorities have reported over 1 million incidents, with a cost of £392 million in 80% of farmers in rural areas have been affected by fly-tipping. Creagh mentioned the intention to write to councils reporting zero enforcement actions and encouraged them to use their powers fully. She also emphasized the need for transparency in waste tracking and digital reforms to combat non-compliant operators.
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About Westminster Hall Debates
Westminster Hall debates are a chance for MPs to raise important issues affecting their constituents and get a response from a government minister. Unlike Prime Minister's Questions, these debates are more in-depth and collaborative. The MP who secured the debate speaks first, other MPs can contribute, and a minister responds with the government's position.