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

To ask Her Majesty's Government when they intend to publish the results of the Roadside Litter working group.

As set out in the Litter Strategy for England, the Government is determined to take action to tackle roadside litter, and has established of a working group to explore and understand the practical barriers to keeping our roadsides clear of litter, and to help identify and promote best-practice in roadside litter prevention.

The initial barriers identified by the group related primarily to issues which were already the subject of separate commitments under the Litter Strategy. In order for the group to make meaningful recommendations beyond the content of the Strategy, we have therefore prioritised delivery of these commitments. For example, we have recently laid new regulations which, subject to Parliamentary approval, will give councils in England (outside London) new powers to issue civil penalties to the keepers of vehicles from which litter is thrown. We have also appointed Keep Britain Tidy to carry out the proposed independent assessment of the cleanliness of those trunk roads which are maintained by Highways England and litter collected by local councils.

At the same time, a separate group convened by Keep Britain Tidy, and including Highways England and other members of the roadside litter working group, has continued to meet to consider these issues.

Whilst these recommended actions are being taken there is currently no publishable material from the roadside litter working group. We will consider next steps for this group following completion of the survey of cleanliness and confirmation of the new enforcement powers for councils.