Environmental Offences (Use of Fixed Penalty Receipts) Regulations 2006

rose to move, That the draft regulations laid before the House on 26 January be approved [16th Report from the Joint Committee]. The noble Baroness said: My Lords, the Environmental Offences (Use of Fixed Penalty Receipts) Regulations 2006 implement a key element of the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005. The Act provides local authorities with new powers to set fixed penalty rates and, for the first time, parish councils will be able to issue fixed-penalty notices for some offences. Both will be able to retain the receipts from the fixed penalties to fund enforcement functions. However, it also provides the Secretary of State with the power to allow receipts to be used to fund other functions, subject to the approval of Parliament. The regulations allow high-performing local authorities—meaning those categorised as excellent or good following a comprehensive performance assessment—to spend receipts for litter-related offences, graffiti, fly-posting and dog control order offences on any of their functions. In the event that any such authorities lose their excellent or good categorisation, they will have one year from the date on which the order has effect in which they can continue to spend their receipts on any such function. The regulations will allow parish councils to retain these receipts to fund their enforcement functions. In addition, parish councils with quality status, which is the parish council equivalent of good or excellent for local authorities, will be able to spend fixed-penalty receipts on any of their functions and, should they lose it, they will have one year in which they can continue to spend receipts on any function. The regulations also require parish councils to supply information relating to fixed-penalty receipts to the Secretary of State. I commend these regulations to the House. I beg to move. Moved, That the draft regulations laid before the House on 26 January be approved [16th Report from the Joint Committee].—(Baroness Farrington of Ribbleton.)