Mentions:
1: Slater, Lorna (Green - Lothian) Updating the amount of the FPN for fly-tipping is a commitment made in the national litter and fly-tipping - Speech Link
2: Lennon, Monica (Lab - Central Scotland) It is probably quite timely that the Scottish litter survey for 2023 was published last month. - Speech Link
3: Slater, Lorna (Green - Lothian) Wherever we take action on litter prevention and give local authorities and SEPA more powers on litter - Speech Link
Mentions:
1: Lord Douglas-Miller (Con - Life peer) In a recent survey, 61% of the public thought that litter and dog fouling were a problem in their area - Speech Link
Asked by: Lennon, Monica (Scottish Labour - Central Scotland)
Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will detail how it is tackling plastic pollution on beaches.
Answered by Slater, Lorna - Minister for Green Skills, Circular Economy and Biodiversity
The Scottish Government is tackling marine litter, which often ends up on our beaches, with actions detailed in our Marine Litter Strategy. The Strategy aims to address the amount of litter entering the marine environment, to achieve ecological, economic and social benefits. Our Strategy and action plan was refreshed in September 2022 and focuses on the most problematic types of marine litter including fishing and aquaculture gear, sewage-related debris, and plastic pellets. The Strategy will drive forward our work up to 2027 and co-ordinate the efforts of our stakeholders and partners, working at a national and international level to help tackle this global problem.
The Strategy covers a wide range of actions, which include: improving the management of end of life fishing and aquaculture gear to reduce litter and improve recycling rates, contributing to our circular economy; working with the UK Government and Devolved Governments to put an end to pollution caused by wet wipes containing plastic, with a UK-wide consultation on a ban on the sale of these items held in Autumn 2023; and developing international solutions to prevent plastic pellet pollution, which can be found on our beaches and risk the health of our marine wildlife. In addition to preventative actions, we support removal of beach litter through funding the work of Local Coastal Partnerships and The Scottish Islands Federation, organisations that support and co-ordinate beach cleans and local community engagement. We also fund litter removal offshore through KIMO’s Fishing for Litter scheme, and at our rivers with Keep Scotland Beautiful’s Upstream Battle project, preventing litter travelling downstream and ultimately reaching our seas and beaches.
Jun. 28 2023
Source Page: Litter and flytipping strategy: equality impact assessmentFound: Litter and flytipping strategy: equality impact assessment
Jun. 28 2023
Source Page: Litter and flytipping: scale and costFound: Litter and flytipping: scale and cost
Jun. 28 2023
Source Page: Litter and flytipping strategy: equality impact assessmentFound: Litter and flytipping strategy: equality impact assessment
Mentions:
1: Robbie Moore (Con - Keighley) Moreover, glass is littered less: the Keep Britain Tidy litter composition analysis of 2020 presented - Speech Link
Mentions:
1: Theresa Villiers (CON - Chipping Barnet) I have secured this debate today because I really hate litter. - Speech Link
2: Trudy Harrison (CON - Copeland) Friend wants to see roadside litter tackled robustly. - Speech Link
3: Trudy Harrison (CON - Copeland) from voluntary litter pickers, and enables volunteers to collect litter without needing a waste carriers - Speech Link
Asked by: Baroness O'Neill of Bexley (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the merits of devolving fine-setting powers for fly-tipping and littering offences to local authorities.
Answered by Lord Benyon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Fixed penalties provide local authorities with an effective and visible way of quickly responding to environmental crimes, where prosecution may not be proportionate. Local authorities must set fixed penalties for litter and fly-tipping from within ranges specified in law. If a penalty level is not set by the authority then a default penalty level will apply.
We believe local authorities are best placed to select the appropriate level, to ensure it reflects local circumstances such as ability to pay. This flexibility is consistent with the responses we received to the consultation on introducing fixed penalty notices for fly-tipping.
Under the Prime Minister’s Antisocial Behaviour Action Plan, the first local authority fly-tipping enforcement league tables were published in August 2023. These show which councils are making good use of their powers to issue fixed penalties, encouraging both scrutiny and the sharing of best practice.
Jun. 28 2023
Source Page: Litter and flytipping strategy: fairer Scotland duty summaryFound: Litter and flytipping strategy: fairer Scotland duty summary