From the October 31 debate in Britain’s House of Lords. In preparation far the session, Lord Selsdon prepared a one-page fact sheet on chewing gum pollution. Lord Rooker is a minister of state far environment, food, and rural affairs.

lord selsdon: What steps will Her Majesty’s Government take to reduce the level of urban pollution caused by the illegal depositing of used chewing gum on pavements and streets?

lord rooker: My Lords, chewing gum was defined as litter in 2005 to enable fixed penalty notices to be issued to individuals caught disposing of gum inappropriately.

lord selsdon: My Lords, I am most grateful to the Minister for that fairly bland reply, and I hope that he will not find my supplementary question unhealthy. Is the Minister aware of the results of my research, undertaken in preparation for this Question, into the life cycle of the chewing gum? As he knows, it starts life in a wrapper, with a nice notice on the outside: “Please use this wrapper prior to disposal.” It then enters the mouth, where it is mixed with saliva, often with respiratory pathogens, and occasionally with blood, if you have recently been to a dentist for teeth cleaning. It is masticated and then given its exit in the form of excrement. This excrement is either spat onto the pavement or disposed of in other ways and carries with it certain dangers. As it hits the pavement, it is commonly or colloquially known as a “gum turd.” This gum turd may retain viruses and bacteria for as long as it is wet. Then it becomes a “flat” and is cleaned up at a cost of maybe 50p per piece, or less if there is a major discount for thirty pieces per square meter. Will the Minister confirm that there is no possibility of people catching a contagious disease from a gum turd, a flat, or a stain? Is he aware that underneath us now, in the House of Lords entrance chamber, there are three pieces of gum? Would he inspect them tonight, to make sure that the evidence is not withdrawn?

lord rooker: My Lords, on the latter point, most certainly not. The noble Lord raises a serious issue. Gum is not biodegradable. The manufacturers keep promising to make biodegradable gum, but we see no evidence that they are doing anything to that effect. It lasts on the street, I am told, for something like three or four years. It is unsightly if it gets on clothes and shoes. It is a very antisocial way of disposing of something that one has purchased. Ninety-one percent of our high streets are affected, according to samples. It is a serious issue, and it is going to look a right mess, particularly all over London, as we go toward the Olympics.

baroness miller of chilthorne domer: My Lords, the Irish have persuaded Wrigley’s to donate 7 million euros to clean up the problem. Do this Government have any intention of persuading Wrigley’s to do the same in the U.K.?

lord rooker: My Lords, we are going to learn from the Irish work. I understand that part of the money will be spent on a contract with one of the universities to try to find a way of manufacturing biodegradable gum.

lord hoyle: My Lords, I do not think matters are helped by the sight of football managers chewing away on TV. What kind of message does that give to the young people watching?

lord rooker: My Lords, we do not know they are chewing gum; it might be something else.

lord rogan: My Lords, I have long felt that a levy or tax should be placed on gum to the tune of, say, a penny per piece, and the revenue raised then distributed to local authorities to fund the clear-up of the mess. Will the Government give that consideration?

lord rooker: My Lords, we have, and it has been dismissed on the basis that people who are antisocial enough to dispose of gum this way will have their conscience eased on the basis that they have paid for it to be cleaned up. We want them to change their behavior in the first place.

baroness gardner of parkes: My Lords, is the Minister aware that the cost to Westminster City Council, which has one team working on this with what is called a “gum blaster,” is £100,000 per year?

lord rooker: My Lords, obviously too many antisocial, uncaring people are disposing of gum this way when there are other ways of disposing of it.

baroness masham of ilton: My Lords, is the Minister aware that gum can get into the grooves of wheelchairs, pushchairs, and prams?

lord rooker: My Lords, the noble Baroness is absolutely right. In some ways, gum might be an antisocial product, but it is the disposing of it that is antisocial. There is no question about it.

lord faulkner of worcester: My Lords, this problem will get worse as more people chew nicotine gum as they attempt to give up smoking.

lord marlesford: My Lords, perhaps when the Government introduce their next public order Bill, they should include a provision whereby the police have authority to issue a fixed penalty of four hours of litter picking to any litter lout.

lord hoyle: My Lords, my noble friend will agree with me that this is a very sticky Question, of course—

noble lords: Oh!