Gill Votes Against Tory Amendment To Reject Clean Neighbourhoods Bill

9.00.29pm GMT Thu 13th Jan 2005

Conservative MPs last night voted against giving local councils additional powers to tackle fly-tipping, litter, graffiti, fly-posting, dog fouling, nuisance noise and abandoned cars, by tabling an Amendment against a second reading of the Government's Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Bill. They claimed measures in the Bill were unnecessary and the Bill focused "predominantly on urban areas". But these claims were undermined by the revelation that the Bill has received the backing of the National Farmers Union, as well as all three parties, including the Tories, at the Local Government Association.

Parmjit Singh Gill MP voted against the Conservative's Amendment which proposed to reject the Bill. The Conservatives were defeated and the Bill will now have a second reading.

Why the Government have a mess on their hands:

§ Total municipal waste increased by 19 per cent. between 1997 and 2003.

§ The UK are at the bottom of the European recycling league and municipal waste is continuing to increase.

§ Our streets are littered with more abandoned cars than ever before: in the past two years their number has increased by 37 per cent. to more than 300,000 a year.

Commenting Parmjit said:

"With the UK at the bottom of the European recycling league, the Tories are completely wrong in rejecting this Bill.

"Labour's environmental record is obviously very disappointing and the Bill does need improving but these problems can be dealt with in Committee."

"I'll continue to work to make Leicester South a cleaner and safer place to live."

ENDS

Notes to Editors

1. Voting record on Conservative amendment opposing a second reading for the Bill: http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200405/cmhansrd/cm050110/debtext/50110-30.htm#50110-30_div27

2. Figures taken from the Department for Food and Rural Affairs:

http://www.defra.gov.uk/