AQW 31037/22-27

Ms Claire Sugden
Independent
East Londonderry

Tabled Date: 12/09/2025
Answered On Date: 26/09/2025
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (i) for his assessment of the July 2025 Northern Ireland Audit Office report Waste Crime in Northern Ireland finding that waste crime costs approximately £34 million annually; and (ii) what steps are being taken to strengthen enforcement and deterrence.

Answer:

I welcome the publication of this report and I can provide assurance that its recommendations will be considered very carefully by officials in the Northern Ireland Environment Agency and the Department.

I am conscious also that, when it comes to reports from the NI Audit Office, the general principle is that departments should restrict comments until the Assembly process is complete.

It is now for the Public Accounts Committee to consider the report’s findings and to consider whether it wishes the Departmental and NIEA Accounting Officers to give evidence and it is important that I abide by the Department of Finance’s guidance that no comment should be made that might pre-empt or pre-judge PAC consideration.

Waste crime poses a serious threat to our environment, to public health and to the integrity of our waste management systems. It also undermines law-abiding operators and damages public confidence.

Strengthening our environmental governance structures is a top priority for me and I recently took receipt of and published the interim report from the independent panel that I set up to bring forward proposals for a more robust model of environmental governance.

Whether within existing structures or new structures, tackling waste crime is also a priority for me and for the NIEA and we will continue to work hard on both prevention and enforcement, with a clear focus on delivering results.