Written questions by Mitchell.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of measures in place to tackle fly-tipping in the West Midlands.

No specific assessment of the effectiveness of measures to tackle fly-tipping in the West Midlands has been made. However, local authorities are required to report the number of fly-tipping incidents and enforcement actions to Defra, this data is published annually at https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/fly-tipping-in-england. This excludes the majority of private-land incidents. Local authorities have a range of enforcement powers to tackle fly-tipping. These include fixed penalty notices of up to £1000, vehicle seizure and prosecution action which can lead to a significant fine or even imprisonment. We encourage councils to make good use of these powers, and we are taking steps to develop statutory fly-tipping enforcement guidance to support councils to consistently and effectively exercise their powers.  This government has also announced a review of their powers to seize and crush vehicles of suspected fly-tippers to identify how we could help councils make better use of this tool. Defra will continue to work with stakeholders through the National Fly-Tipping Prevention Group, such as the National Farmers Union, local authorities and police, to promote and disseminate good practice on tackling fly-tipping.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department has taken to clear up water ways in the West Midlands.

Navigation authorities are responsible for keeping their waterways clear of obstacles, rubbish, aquatic plant overgrowths, and any other impediments to ensure safety of navigation for users. They also work closely with the relevant authorities in responding to pollution incidents; an example of this was the Canal and River Trust working with the Environment Agency and others to deal with a serious pollution incident in the Walsall Canal in August 2024. More widely in the West Midlands in 2024/25 the Environment Agency’s Water Industry National Environment Programme included over 160 actions aimed at improving sewage treatment works and storm overflow discharges to improve water quality and over 100 actions aiming to prevent deterioration of water quality. There is also a continued focus on the impact of agriculture on our rivers, with more than 400 farm inspections conducted by the Environment Agency across the West Midlands in 2024/25. In 2024/25, £1.9m of Water Environment Improvement Fund money was invested in the West Midlands. Through partnerships, 29 projects were delivered improving or enhancing 15km of watercourse and more than 110 hectares. These projects covered rural land management, urban communities, and habitats and priority species including Atlantic Salmon, Trout, and White-Clawed Crayfish.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to increase biodiversity in the West Midlands.

Improving biodiversity is a key objective for the Government, and we are taking action to deliver on our legally binding biodiversity targets on species abundance, species extinction, and habitat creation and restoration. These targets, alongside other statutory targets on tree canopy and woodland cover, water and air quality, marine protected areas, and resource efficiency, will drive action for nature recovery. The West Midlands Combined Authority is the responsible authority for preparing the West Midlands Local Nature Recovery Strategy, which will agree priorities for nature recovery in the area and identify and map the best locations for action to be taken to benefit nature and the wider environment. Defra has provided funding to responsible authorities to prepare their strategies, as well as dedicated advice and support from Natural England, the Environment Agency, and the Forestry Commission.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he plans to take with local authorities to reduce the amount of plastic pollution in public parks.

Local councils are usually best placed to respond to littering problems, as their response can be tailored to the local community. They have a range of enforcement tools at their disposal including fixed penalty notices and prosecution. We are reviewing how we can further support local authorities to tackle these issues. We have also taken steps to tackle commonly littered plastic items such as disposable vapes. The sale of single-use vapes will be banned from 1 June 2025. This will help to tackle a huge and growing stream of hard-to-recycle waste and litter, with nearly 5 million thrown away every week. Plastic drinks containers are also covered as part of the Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) that will go live in England, Northern Ireland, and Scotland in October 2027. The DRS will introduce a redeemable deposit on single-use in-scope drinks containers which can be claimed back by customers when the empty container is returned. This will reduce litter, increase recycling rates, create high quality recyclate for producers, and promote a circular economy.

Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate his Department has made of the recycling rates in Birmingham in 2022-23.

The percentage of household waste sent for reuse, recycling or composting for Birmingham City Council in 2022-23 was 22.9 per cent. Waste and recycling statistics including household recycling rates are published annually for all local authorities in England here.