THE government has admitted to East Lancashire MP Nigel Evans that fly-tipping is costing the taxpayer £100million a year.

And the Tory frontbencher has placed the blame for the 50,000-plus incidents of illegal dumping of rubbish on the government's landfill tax on the cost of putting the waste in official tips.

The Ribble Valley MP quizzed environment minister Michael Meacher on the cost in a written Commons Question.

Today he said: "I have forced the government to admit that fly-tipping has got completely out of control.

"Mr Meacher has admitted that there are some 50,000 fly-tipping incidents a year and the clean-up cost to the taxpayer is a staggering £100million.

"The government is to blame for the astonishing cost of this problem.

" The introduction of the landfill tax by government simply encourages illegal dumping of waste in our streets, waterways and countryside.

"In Clitheroe we have seen the Lancashire County Council impose charges on small businesses for taking their waste to the tip. This is money that small employers cannot afford and I fear that it may encourage illegal dumping.

"£1million a year could pay for thousands of nurses, doctors and teachers.

"Instead, it is being thrown away because the government has over-regulated an over-taxed waste collection.

"If anyone wonders why there are so many abandoned household appliances, boxes and bags on our streets, now we know why."