Clause 8 - Use of fixed penalty receipts
Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Bill
4:30 pm
Mr Alun Michael (Minister of State (Rural Affairs), Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs; Cardiff South and Penarth, Labour/Co-operative)
I am very pleased to give the hon. Gentleman the assurance that he seeks. I certainly do not see the notices as fundraising measures, but as making a contribution to local authorities' enforcement costs in problem areas. That is the whole point of us allowing the retention of fixed penalty sums. The idea that offenders' payments go into local authorities' coffers and help to offset enforcement costs is in local people's interests. It is very unlikely that costs would be completely covered or that it would end up as fundraising. I am certain that that is neither intended nor likely to occur.
For the record, I want to make it clear that I would resist the amendment, because it is important that local authorities and waste collection authorities can make decisions about the issues that affect them. We are not just discussing clause 4, but other clauses covered by amendments in the group. The Local Government Act 2003 already gives powers to allow local authorities that receive high scores in their comprehensive performance assessment to spend receipts on any functions. There has not been that sort of flexibility before. The clauses therefore build on the approach, which I wholeheartedly support, taken by the Deputy Prime Minister which encourages the development of high performance and high quality in local authorities and rewards high performance with freedom and flexibility. That is a positive agenda, and this fits with it. I hope that, on the basis of those assurances, the hon. Gentleman will withdraw his amendment and enthusiastically support the clause.