Asked by: Baroness Byford (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many successful prosecutions there have been for fly-tipping in each of the last ten years; how many of those prosecutions were a result of fly-tipping on privately-owned land; and in each case, what was the fine imposed.
Answered by Lord Gardiner of Kimble
Defra collects data on the number of fly-tipping incidents and actions taken which is provided by local authorities in England. These data are published annually and may include some private land incidents that are voluntarily reported (although it is not mandatory to do so). Defra does not hold data relating solely to fly-tipping incidents on private land. The tables below show the data held regarding prosecutions and fines for fly-tipping in the last ten years. Details of fine levels for individual cases are not held.
Local authority prosecutions for fly-tipping in England
Year | Successful prosecutions | Custodial sentences | Fines | Community service |
2008/09 | 1,944 | 16 | 1,497 | 60 |
2009/10 | 2,374 | 34 | 1,859 | 45 |
2010/11 | 2,311 | 7 | 2,023 | 35 |
2011/12 | 2,786 | 4 | 2,487 | 39 |
2012/13 | 2,144 | 18 | 1,839 | 16 |
2013/14 | 1,953 | 10 | 1,685 | 19 |
2014/15 | 1,771 | 21 | 1,492 | 35 |
2015/16 | 2,091 | 18 | 1,838 | 32 |
2016/17 | 1,546 | 28 | 1,318 | 26 |
2017/18 | 2,186 | 25 | 1,938 | 45 |
Level of fines for fly-tipping offences in England resulting from the above prosecutions
Year | £0 to £50 | £51 to £200 | £201 to £500 | £501 to £1,000 | £1,001 to £5,000 | £5,001 to £20,000 | £20,001 to £50,000 | over £50,000 |
2008/09 | 185 | 722 | 407 | 114 | 67 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
2009/10 | 274 | 947 | 452 | 110 | 70 | 6 | 0 | 0 |
2010/11 | 172 | 1104 | 454 | 245 | 50 | 6 | 0 | 0 |
2011/12 | 417 | 1191 | 565 | 239 | 70 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
2012/13 | 162 | 856 | 547 | 201 | 61 | 12 | 0 | 0 |
2013/14 | 134 | 1,028 | 308 | 150 | 62 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
2014/15 | 116 | 804 | 311 | 194 | 58 | 8 | 1 | 0 |
2015/16 | 113 | 817 | 560 | 271 | 72 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
2016/17 | 96 | 1,233 | 564 | 151 | 93 | 10 | 1 | 0 |
2017/18 | 83 | 667 | 876 | 173 | 123 | 16 | 0 | 0 |
The Environment Agency investigates and prosecutes larger and more serious cases of illegal dumping. Data distinguishing between types of waste crime incidents have been available since 2015. Data for privately-owned land are not shown separately. The table below shows the total successful prosecutions by the Environment Agency for illegal dumping incidents only.
Environment Agency prosecutions for illegal dumping in England
Year | Action Date | Sentence | Total Fine |
2015 | 26/03/2015 | Fined | £660 |
06/10/2015 | Community Service | £200 | |
06/10/2015 | Community Service | £200 | |
2016 | 11/03/2016 | Fined | £1,000 |
2017 | 09/06/2017 | Suspended Sentence | £50,000 |
09/06/2017 | Fined | £50,000 | |
18/09/2017 | Fined | £660 | |
03/03/2017 | Fined | £6,000 | |
18/09/2017 | Community Service | £0 | |
19/09/2017 | Fined | £900 | |
09/06/2017 | Fined | £20,000 | |
2018 | 04/10/2018 | Fined | £562 |
24/04/2018 | Community Order - Curfew | £0 | |
10/04/2018 | Community Service | £0 | |
16/10/2018 | Community Service | £0 | |
10/04/2018 | Community Service | £0 | |
31/05/2018 | Fined | £5,000 | |
05/10/2018 | Community Service | £0 |
Asked by: Baroness Byford (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many non-native invasive species outbreaks have been identified in each year since 2014; what steps have been taken to eradicate such species; and at what cost.
Answered by Lord Gardiner of Kimble
Invasive non-native species outbreaks since 2014 include several incursions of Asian hornet, as well as raccoon, coati, quagga mussel, various leafed water milfoil, acrobat ant, marbled newt, American comb jelly, Asian super ant, American lobster, argentine ant, gulf wedge clam and pacific salmon.
Swift and effective action has been taken to remove populations of Asian hornet, American lobster, raccoon and coati, with ongoing action against the various-leaved water milfoil. In some cases it has not been feasible to eradicate species and so biosecurity measures to contain or reduce spread are being developed.
Biosecurity and control of invasive non-native species are devolved matters. In England in 2016/17 the Government spent an estimated total of £922,000 on biosecurity measures relating to invasive non-native species.
I will write to the Noble Baroness with further information regarding the costs from 2014- 2018.
Asked by: Baroness Byford (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to make water market structures within the English retail water market more accessible for smaller business customers.
Answered by Lord Gardiner of Kimble
Ofwat, the economic regulator for the water industry, regulates and monitors the operation of the retail business market. They published their first annual report on the market, Open for Business, in July 2018.
It identified that small and medium sized business customers are not yet experiencing the same benefits that larger customers receive from the retail market, and raised a number of issues that could be affecting this.
These included issues that could potentially hinder retailers engaging with certain customer groups, particularly small businesses, and that could also affect customers’ experience of the market.
Ofwat and Market Operator Services Ltd (MOSL), the market operator, have been taking a number of actions to investigate further and address these issues.
Ofwat is currently undertaking a further assessment of the market with a view to publishing their second annual report, likely in July.
My Department has ongoing discussions with Ofwat and MOSL about these issues and will discuss the outcomes of the second annual report with Ofwat in due course.
Asked by: Baroness Byford (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment OFWAT has made of whether the water market is working effectively for new entrants and small business customers.
Answered by Lord Gardiner of Kimble
Ofwat published their first annual report on the market, Open for Business, in July 2018 and are currently undertaking a further assessment of the market with a view to publishing their second annual report, likely in July.
The first report highlighted that, overall, market opening has benefited both customers who have switched and those who have not. Ofwat estimate that in the first year customers who switched or did not, but renegotiated services, saved:
around £8 million through lower bills;
approximately 270 to 540 million litres of water, equivalent to 100 to 200 Olympic sized swimming pools, due to water efficiency measures from switching; and
time from more convenient billing or better customer services
The report identified that small and medium sized business customers are not yet experiencing the same benefits that larger customers receive from the retail market, and identified some issues preventing the market reaching its full potential for them and entrants to it. These include:
Ofwat are working with market participants, including the Market Operator (Services Ltd, MOSL), to address these issues.
Asked by: Baroness Byford (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will review the way in which the Environment Agency responds to water abstraction applications, with particular regard to businesses in East Anglia.
Answered by Lord Gardiner of Kimble
The Environment Agency has wide ranging duties covering matters it may take into account when it deals with water abstraction licence applications. When making decision on licence applications, the Environment Agency balances the needs of businesses, people and the environment.
The legal framework in which the Environment Agency is required to operate means that, where a licence application may affect protected species or habitats, or cause the environment to deteriorate as a result of unacceptable environmental damage, the balance must be weighted in favour of the environment. However, the Environment Agency works with applicants to secure access to water for them on reasonable terms whilst still protecting the environment.
Ultimately, applicants can appeal the Environment Agency’s licence application decisions, where applications are refused or licences have been granted subject to conditions. Appeals are normally decided by an Inspector appointed from the Planning Inspectorate.