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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will (a) undertake a review of the Government's litter strategy to ensure greater effectiveness at tackling littering and (b) encourage the prosecution of owners that discard litter from a motor vehicle; and if he will make statement.

The Government published the Litter Strategy for England in April 2017, and while there are no plans to review the Litter Strategy itself, the second annual report will be published shortly.

From April last year, we have given district councils in England (outside London) new powers to hold the keeper of a vehicle responsible for littering offences committed from it by issuing a civil (financial) penalty which is set at the same level as the local fixed penalty for littering. It is up to councils to determine their approach to enforcement, including whether to make use of these powers. Implementation advice was provided to councils to assist them in making use of these powers. London councils already had these powers.

We have also consulted on improved guidance to councils and others on the use of their fixed penalty powers for tackling littering (including littering from vehicles) and related offences. We are currently considering the responses to the consultation and the improved guidance will be published shortly.