PARLIAMENTARY WRITTEN QUESTION
Roads: Litter (21 February 2020)

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he plans to (a) introduce penalty points for roadside littering and (b) bring forward legislative proposals to require delivery and haulage companies to equip vehicles with bins for use by employees.

Asked by:
Matt Western (Labour)

It is a criminal offence to throw down, drop or otherwise deposit litter, whether from a vehicle or otherwise. It is up to employers to determine whether they need to provide specific equipment or facilities to their employees to enable them to comply with the law.

With effect from April 2018, we have introduced new powers enabling councils in England (outside London) to issue civil fixed penalties of between £65 to £150 to the keepers of vehicles from which litter is thrown. Councils in London already had similar powers. This enables them to take action against the offence, even when the precise offender cannot be identified beyond reasonable doubt.

We have no plans to introduce penalty points (endorsements) for littering offences, nor to require employers to provide bins in vehicles.

Answered by:
Rebecca Pow (Conservative)
26 February 2020