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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will take steps to ensure enforcement action against waste companies is more robust.

The Government’s Waste Crime Action Plan sets out a strengthened enforcement response, including an additional £45 million for the Environment Agency (EA) over the next three years to expand on-the-ground enforcement activity. It also establishes a new Operational Waste Intelligence and Analysis Unit which will integrate satellite, drone, financial and criminal data to identify risks earlier and accelerate action. Further actions include introducing police‑style powers for EA officers, expanding the use of restriction notices to halt harmful activity quickly, and strengthening the use of permit suspensions and revocations where serious risks or breaches are identified.