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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of powers and resources currently available to (a) local authorities and (b) the Environment Agency to enforce environmental protection laws.

Local authorities have a range of powers to enforce environmental protection laws, including through the Environmental Permitting Regulations (England and Wales) 2016 and the Environmental Protection Act, 1990.

The Environment Agency, through the Environment Act 1995, has a range of powers to enforce environmental protection laws. Its principal aim is to protect and enhance the environment.

The Government committed in its manifesto to forcing fly-tippers and vandals to clean up the mess that they have created.