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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many officials in the Environment Agency are employed to investigate businesses that are believed to have committed end of waste offences.

The Environment Agency has the equivalent of approximately 180 full-time officers who investigate all types of waste offences, including any relating to end of waste.

The Government is committed to tackling waste crime:

• In 2015/16 the Environment Agency spent £14.8 million tackling waste crime.
• Approximately £23 million was allocated to the Environment Agency in the 2015 Spending Review specifically for tackling waste crime in England.