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

To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to (1) reopen investigations into the death of Zane Gbangbola through a public inquiry or other measures, and (2) examine the health risks presented by historic landfill sites.

The government has no current plans to reopen investigations into the tragic death of Zane Gbangbola. If there is a belief that the evidence was not considered properly during the original inquest, or that there is new evidence available then there is a legal process via the Attorney General that should be followed. Due consideration of the merits of an inquiry will be made at the appropriate time if, and when these legal processes have been exhausted.

Under Part 2A of the Environmental Protection Act 1990, each local authority has a duty to inspect its area to identify and require remediation of contaminated land, including historic landfills. A risk-based approach is used to define contaminated land, with regulators required to intervene in cases where land poses an unacceptable risk to human health, property or the environment.

Risks of significant harm to human health are already considered by regulators within the existing regulations. The current risk-based approach ensures the sites that do pose the greatest risk to people and the environment are prioritised and appropriately managed.