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

To ask Her Majesty’s Government when they expect to publish the results of the scoping study on littering from vehicles; and when they plan to make regulations for littering from vehicles under the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014.

The scoping study into the most cost-effective and proportionate means to gather evidence about Local Authority enforcement action against littering from vehicles concluded in March. We are considering the findings and plan to publish the report this autumn along with the Government response to the recent Communities & Local Government Select Committee inquiry into Litter & Fly-tipping.

We fully support action to tackle littering, reflected in our manifesto commitment to review the case for increasing the fines for littering. Equally, the Government is committed to introducing new regulation only where necessary, when it can be proven to be more effective than current or non-regulatory approaches and provided new regulation can be implemented in a way that is proportionate, consistent, transparent and targeted. We must ensure that any new regulations on littering from vehicles are shaped to the needs of Local Authorities, and will deliver a real improvement on the current law.