London Local Authorities Bill [Lords]

My hon. Friend makes a valuable point, and I never thought that I would be speaking up to defend McDonald's, but that is exactly what happens in St Albans already. McDonald's, Sainsbury's with its carrier bags, and other big companies recognise the issue, work with the local council and help towards paying up. Sainsbury's recognises that, if one of its carrier bags has drifted up against a fence 100 yards away from its supermarket, it will still help the local authority to clear it up—and is willing to do so. It is the poor small businesses that cannot carry the can. With huge businesses such as McDonald's, people say, ““That's their packet, thrown away 100 yards or so from the restaurant,”” but that is recognised, so often it will help local authorities to clear up and to contribute towards schemes that do so. The clause will, however, penalise small businesses. What about them? If we were to have, as one of my hon. Friends proposed, separate legislation for branded litter, we might find it easier to enforce, but that is not what the clause is about—unless we are going to chase Marlboro and ask it to pay. The person who drops the litter should ultimately be responsible, and if that means better council surveillance and the recognition that it has to clean those areas more, so be it. Small businesses should not have to pick up the tab.