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 commission research on the potential effectiveness of behavioural science in reducing littering.

Our Litter Strategy already draws on insights from behavioural science and ‘nudge’ theory. Studies have shown that these approaches, which often combine elements of all three means of influencing behaviour set out in the Litter Strategy – education, enforcement and infrastructure - can be very effective ways to address specific types of littering. We are not currently planning to commission further research on the potential effectiveness of behavioural science in reducing littering.