Previous Section Index Home Page

4 Jun 2007 : Column 8W—continued


4 Jun 2007 : Column 9W

The number of sites listed will include inactive sites. The area will include non-active parts of a landfill site. Historical information is not held in one single place and is therefore not 100 per cent. accurate.

Andrew Selous: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the basis is for the policy on the allocation of landfill allowance trading scheme targets for local authorities (a) in sustainable communities plan growth areas and (b) outside those areas. [139144]

Mr. Bradshaw [holding answer 24 May 2007]: Landfill allowances were allocated in 2005 to local authorities based on the approach that all waste disposal authorities (WDAs) make the same relative contribution to the landfill directive targets for England, based on their share of municipal waste arisings in 2001-02.

Allowances have been allocated each year from 2004-05 to 2019-20 to provide local authorities with greater certainty for long-term planning. The allocation does not differentiate between local authorities in sustainable communities plan growth areas and local authorities outside those areas. Predictions of future population growth do not provide a sufficient basis of certainty for allocating allowances.

The Government recognise that WDAs located within the Government's specified growth areas may find meeting targets for reducing the amount of biodegradable municipal waste sent to landfill particularly challenging. The flexibilities of trading, banking and borrowing allowed within the Landfill Allowance Trading Scheme are intended to give WDAs every opportunity to avoid becoming liable to a financial penalty for failure to comply with limits on landfilling.

Landfill: Pollution

Chris Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) what value of fines has been issued by courts following successful prosecutions for release of pollution from landfill sites in each year since 2000; how many offences were identified in each year; and what the (a) highest, (b) average and (c) lowest fine was in each year; [137653]

(2) what the total was of fines issued by courts following successful prosecutions for release of pollution from landfill sites in each year since 2000; how many offences were recorded in each year; and what the (a) highest, (b) average and (c) lowest fine was in each year. [137895]

Mr. Bradshaw: The information requested is set out in the following table. The fines listed are in respect of offences committed under the Water Resources Act s.85 (1), the Environmental Protection Act (EPA) 1990, s.33 (6) and the Pollution Prevention and Control (PPC) Regulations, reg. 32 (1) (b). The water offences relate directly to the release of pollutants. With regard to the EPA and PPC offences, the database is not sufficiently refined to pinpoint whether the specific instances relate to release of pollution or to some other violation of the conditions of a licence or permit. The figures provided therefore include, but are not limited to release of pollution.


4 Jun 2007 : Column 10W
Prosecution of landfill sites
Count Total (£) High (£) Low (£) Average (£)

2000

7

58,000

35,000

1,000

8,286

2001

7

29,750

16,000

1,750

4,250

2002

6

57,000

17,000

5,000

9,500

2003

4

7,000

6,000

1,000

1,750

2004

7

110,500

33,500

3,000

15,786

2005

3

49,500

42,000

2,500

16,500

2006

3

42,000

25,000

2,000

14,000


Chris Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many (a) complaints, (b) court actions and (c) fines there were against landfill sites for problems related to (i) odours, (ii) water pollution, (iii) air pollution and (iv) human health impact (1) in England and (2) in each region of England in each year since 2001-02, what the locations were of the sites against which each fine was levied; and what the level of fine was in each case. [137873]

Mr. Bradshaw: As it is quite lengthy, I am arranging for copies of the information requested to be placed in the House Library.

Milk: Prices

Mr. Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will visit a dairy farm in Kettering constituency to discuss farmgate milk prices. [138053]

Barry Gardiner: I am unable to accept the hon. Member’s kind invitation on this occasion. However, my Ministerial colleagues and I regularly discuss issues affecting the dairy sector with industry and farming representatives and visit a wide variety of farms across the country.

The Government believe that the setting of milk prices is a commercial matter to be resolved by private negotiation which should take place within the parameters set by competition law. We believe the market must determine prices.

Pollution: Fines

Chris Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much has been levied in fines by local authorities for incidences of pollution against (a) companies, (b) local authorities and (c) individuals for each type of pollution incidence (i) in total, (ii) in each region and (iii) for each fine in each financial year since 1998-99. [137891]

Mr. Bradshaw: The total value of fixed penalty notices (FPNs), issued by English regions for noise related offences in 2004-05 and 2005-06, is shown in the following table.


4 Jun 2007 : Column 11W
Fine total (£)
Region 2004-05 2005-06

South East

100

100

North West

4

North East

56

1,500

West Midlands

1,500

East of England

2

Yorkshire and Humber

100

Total

1,672

1,700


The Department does not hold data for offences from 1998 to 2003, or whether FPNs were issued to companies or private individuals.

The Clean Air Act provides for fines for various offences which are all enforced by local authorities through magistrate courts. However, DEFRA does not collect these data.

For contaminated land, part 2A of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 provides for fines, levied through the courts, where a person fails, without reasonable excuse, to comply with any of the requirements of a remediation notice. Any convictions for such offences are contained on a register maintained by the enforcing authority. DEFRA does not collect these data centrally.

Total fines imposed by the courts for offences under the Pollution Prevention and Control Regulations, where local authorities are the regulator, are shown as follows. Data are only available from 2000.

Fines imposed (£)
Region 2000-01 2001-02 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06

North East

North West

500.00

23,000.00

475.00

22,500.00

Yorks and Humberside

5,500.00

10,500.00

9,500.00

4,500.00

4,500.00

West Midlands

2,000.00

15,000.00

237,820.00

23,000.00

East Midlands

4,000.00

30,000.00

8,000.00

East of England

72,400.00

2,500.00

2,000.00

Wales

8,000.00

2,000.00

2,000.00

750.00

London

21,116.00

South East

29,000.00

South West

7,250.00

Total

87,150.00

62,500.00

39,616.00

59,500.00

248,295.00

50,750.00


Again, a more detailed breakdown of this information is not available.

Further data on fines levied by local authorities for other pollution incidents could be collated only at disproportionate cost.

State Veterinary Service

Chris Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many (a) permanent and (b) temporary staff worked at the (i) State Veterinary Service, (ii) Dairy Hygiene and Egg Marketing Inspectorates and (iii) Wildlife Licensing and Registration Service in each of the last 12 months. [135504]


4 Jun 2007 : Column 12W

Mr. Bradshaw: The figures requested are as follows:

(i) State Veterinary Service
Permanent Temporary

April 2006

1,282.2

107.0

May 2006

1,268.3

115.7

June 2006

1,261.8

122.9

July 2006

1,267.4

130.7

August 2006

1,302.0

105.5

September 2006

1,300.5

95.5

October 2006

1,268.7

128.9

November 2006

1,274.2

125.9

December 2006

1,278.0

123.9

January 2007

1,289.4

135.4

February 2007

1,297.0

144.2

March 2007

1,301.8

154.8


Next Section Index Home Page