Fly-tipping

Debate between Jim Shannon and Tristan Osborne

Tuesday 26th November 2024 Westminster Hall

[Tristan Osborne (Chatham and Aylesford) (Lab)]

I beg to move,

That this House has considered Government support for local councils to tackle fly-tipping.

It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Sir Christopher. We have only 30 minutes for this debate, and I am keen to take as many interventions as possible, so I am looking forward to hearing many contributions from across different sides of this Chamber.

Fly-tipping is a major scourge in the local areas of many constituents, not only in my constituency, but across the country. It is the illegal dumping of waste in public or private spaces, often in areas that are designated for waste disposal. As people will be aware through the news and other online sources, fly-tipping has become a significant environmental issue, with millions of pounds being spent annually on cleaning up waste and countless communities affected by the unsightly and hazardous consequences. This problem not only affects the aesthetics of the environment, but poses serious health and safety risks.

In today’s debate, I hope to explore the nature of fly-tipping, its causes and consequences, and where we need further Government action. There have been regular debates on this topic in Westminster Hall over the last number of years, including recently in September. I acknowledge that all Governments have struggled with this issue and that solutions have been piecemeal, with successes but also concerns. I welcome the announcement this week of respect orders and this Government’s focus on antisocial behaviour; I hope that, alongside those, this Government will focus on and challenge those who persistently fly-tip in the future.

[Jim Shannon (Strangford) (DUP)]

I thank the hon. Gentleman for bringing this debate forward and for giving me permission to intervene when I asked him before. There is pressure on councils everywhere; is he aware that the tightening of restrictions on general waste, in order to meet recycling targets for councils, has made them more difficult to follow? In some instances, it has led to greater examples of fly-tipping. Does he agree that the Government must support local councils and streamline the process to find and deal with this issue effectively in every postcode throughout the United Kingdom?

[Tristan Osborne]

I absolutely agree with the hon. Member. We are having this debate not only to discuss how we can better support local councils, but to acknowledge some of the successes of local authorities around the country where they have been challenging this issue, and hopefully to share that expertise. I agree that fines need to increase for those caught, and councils need to be given support from central Government to pursue that. One reason I am bringing forward this debate is that farmers and communities in rural areas in in my constituency have seen significant increases in fly-tipping, specifically around the villages of Wouldham, Burham and Capstone. We have had a long legacy of urban fly-tipping, but this is not just an urban blight; it also affects rural areas.