💩 Oral Answers to Questions

• Fly-Tipping Measures:
  • The government plans to tackle fly-tipping by creating clean-up squads made of those who illegally dump waste.
  • A ban on single-use vapes will be introduced from June 1, and a deposit return scheme for drinks containers is in the works.
  • Local councils are encouraged to increase fines and enforcement, with some councils already using innovative measures like drones and CCTV.
  • The government is considering new powers in the Crime and Policing Bill to strengthen regulations and increase prosecutions.
• Sewage Discharge Reduction:
  • Water companies will receive a record £104 billion investment to improve 3,000 storm overflows and reduce sewage spills.
  • The Water (Special Measures) Act 2025 gives regulators the power to penalize water company bosses for poor performance.
• Agricultural and Business Property Reliefs:
  • Around 500 farmers will be affected by changes to agricultural and business property reliefs each year.
  • Farmers will benefit from a reduced inheritance tax rate of 20% and can spread payments over 10 years without interest.
  • The government has committed £5 billion over two years to support sustainable food production and nature recovery.
• Flood Defences and Resilience:
  • A record £2.65 billion will be invested over two years to improve flood resilience and protect 52,000 properties.
  • There is a need to revise the funding formula to better support rural and agricultural areas affected by flooding.
  • The government is engaging with insurance companies to improve support for flood victims.
• Thames Water’s Financial Viability:
  • The government is monitoring Thames Water’s financial situation and aims to improve its performance through regulatory reforms.
• Deforestation Due Diligence:
  • The government is considering how to implement deforestation due diligence provisions from the Environment Act 2021.
• Public Procurement of British Produce:
  • The government wants 50% of food in public sector catering to come from local or high-standard British producers.
  • Monitoring of public sector food purchases will help ensure better opportunities for British farmers.
• Violence Against Women and Girls:
  • Steps to increase prosecution rates include introducing Raneem’s law, placing domestic abuse experts in 999 control rooms.
  • Efforts are underway to reduce the court backlog and improve support for victims throughout the legal process.
• Technology in the Criminal Justice System:
  • New technologies, such as AI, are being trialed to improve efficiency in the criminal justice system, including document review and case management.
• Serious and Violent Crime:
  • The government aims to increase police presence and introduce new laws to tackle serious crimes like knife crime and antisocial behavior.
  • The Crime and Policing Bill will provide enhanced powers to police and prosecutors to combat these issues.

The session displays a moderate level of disagreement, primarily centered around policy implementation and effectiveness rather than overt conflict or deep division. Here is a detailed breakdown of the disagreement observed:

1. Fly-tipping Discussion: There is a consensus on the need to tackle fly-tipping, but disagreements arise about the effectiveness of current measures and the responsibility of different local councils. For example, David Williams (Stoke-on-Trent North) praised the local Labour-led council’s efforts, while criticizing the Conservatives, suggesting disagreement on political leadership’s impact. Mary Creagh (Parliamentary Under-Secretary) responded by highlighting the government’s new initiatives but also subtly criticized the previous administration’s handling of the issue.

2. Agricultural and Business Property Reliefs: Significant disagreement was evident in the discussion around agricultural and business property reliefs. David Reed (Exmouth and Exeter East) expressed frustration over a lack of engagement from the Secretary of State and the impacts of policy changes on farmers. Daniel Zeichner (Minister for Food Security and Rural Affairs) countered by emphasizing the fairness and balanced approach of the changes and the government’s broader commitments to farming. The disagreement here is more pronounced, focusing on policy impact and communication.

3. Sewage Discharge and Water Company Viability: There is some dissatisfaction with water companies’ performance, as indicated by Jeremy Hunt’s (Godalming and Ash) emphasis on sewage spills in his constituency, but there’s no direct disagreement with the government’s response. Steve Reed (Secretary of State) confirmed the government’s commitment to regulatory reform and investment. Clive Jones (Wokingham) raised concerns about Thames Water’s financial viability and performance, to which Steve Reed responded by reiterating the government’s actions through the Water (Special Measures) Act 2025.

4. Flood Defences: While the government’s commitment to improving flood defenses is acknowledged, there are specific disagreements on implementation timelines and funding allocation. For example, Jonathan Brash (Hartlepool) and Markus Campbell-Savours (Penrith and Solway) sought specific commitments on funding for local projects, expressing underlying discontent with the pace and detail of government action.

5. Violence Against Women and Girls: The discussions on prosecution rates showed agreement on the importance of the issue but differed on the effectiveness of existing policies and the speed of judicial processes. While there was broad support for improvements, there was pushback on the effectiveness of measures implemented by the government, especially concerning the court backlog.

Overall, the disagreements are not highly confrontational or rancorous but reflect differing views on policy effectiveness, implementation speed, and the comparison of current government actions against past administrations. The session thus warrants a rating of 2 on a scale of 1 to 5, indicating a moderate level of disagreement.