Single Use Carrier Bags Charges (England) Order 2015

Baroness Golding Excerpts

Wednesday 4th March 2015 Grand Committee

[Baroness Golding (Lab)]

My Lords, I did not intend to speak, but I think I should, following my Welsh cousin’s contribution. Some time ago, I went on holiday to Wales and found myself being charged 10p for a plastic bag. I made some inquiries among my Welsh friends. It cost 10p in north Wales, 5p in mid-Wales, 2p in south Wales and nothing if you knew the shopkeeper well. I had my doubts about the whole system already, but I remembered that, in north Wales, I had looked at where the money from the plastic bags was going—into the shopkeeper’s till. There was no way that you could tell where the money from the plastic bag went eventually or how the shopkeeper paid it. There was a little box on the counter where you put the money for the plastic bag, but the shopkeeper took the money and put it in the till. That was my experience in Wales. When I went back home to England, I had a good look around for these plastic bags that the Welsh had been tossing around on the seashore, in the streets and everywhere else—supposedly. In one month, I found one plastic bag blowing around in a car park. That was the only sign I had that plastic bags were being thrown around.

I think the whole idea is nonsense. It is the customer who is paying again, and paying twice. The shopkeeper has already paid for the plastic bag and covered that in the cost that he is charging for whatever you are buying. You are paying twice, and the shopkeeper is getting back the money that he has already paid for the plastic bag. Everybody should be happy but the customer should never be happy about being charged for plastic bags.

Environment: Plastic Bags

Baroness Golding Excerpts

Tuesday 14th May 2013 Lords Chamber

[Lord De Mauley]

My Lords, I am aware that there is action in countries on the other side of the channel such as France, Spain and Italy. It is worth saying that in 2011 the Commission consulted on a number of possible options for reducing the use of plastic carrier bags. We responded to the consultation and encouraged the Commission to undertake a full cost-benefit analysis as part of the development of options. It has published a response to the consultation and is currently considering its options.

[Baroness Golding]

Is the Minister aware that in some parts of Wales the charge for a plastic bag is 10p, in other parts 5p and in other parts 3p—and that if you know the shopkeeper, it is nothing? Is he also aware that the charge is supposed to be for charity, but I often see the money going into the shop’s till? Is he aware that this is happening in Wales?

[Lord De Mauley]

The noble Baroness points out an extremely good reason why we should look very carefully at what is happening in Wales before we act. I thank her for that.