Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to tackle fly-tipping in (a) Newcastle-under-Lyme and (b) Staffordshire.

Local authorities have powers to investigate and take enforcement action against offenders, including issuing fixed penalty notices of up to £5,000 (up from £1000 since 1^st September) and prosecuting those responsible. In February Defra published best practice guidance and case studies to support councils to use their power to seize vehicles suspected of fly-tipping. The Government has secured powers in the Crime and Policing Act 2026 to issue statutory guidance to councils on their fly-tipping enforcement powers.