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

To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Gardiner of Kimble on 4 April (HL7211), what progress they have made on the National Litter Strategy for England; and when they expect it to be completed.

We have made good progress on the Litter Strategy for England. We are working with the Department for Communities and Local Government and industry to develop an ambitious Strategy. Our goal is to deliver a substantial reduction in litter and littering in England, ensuring that all our communities, natural landscape, roads and highways are free of litter. The Litter Strategy will focus on three key themes: education and awareness; improving enforcement; and better cleansing and litter infrastructure. These will be backed up by specific actions under each objective.

To help us shape the Strategy, we have established a Litter Advisory Group, which includes representatives from local government, campaign groups and independent experts, as well as representatives from the packaging and fast-food industries. The Strategy will be published shortly, after the publication of Defra’s 25 year Environment Plan framework.