Biodiversity: Dasgupta Review

Baroness Meacher Excerpts

Thursday 4th February 2021 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Penn (Con)]

My Lords, I will be very happy to undertake to make those representations and will let the noble Lord know the response.

[Baroness Meacher (CB) [V]]

My Lords, the oceans are surely the greatest asset—economically, as well as in many other ways—both for the planet and for humanity. Yet we have already depleted this asset by enabling 5.25 trillion macro and micro pieces of plastic to find their way into these great waters. What are the Government’s latest plans to prevent plastics reaching the oceans? Do they have a date when plastic will no longer enter the oceans from this country? If so, what is that date?

[Baroness Penn (Con)]

My Lords, the Government are taking world-leading action on preventing the use of single-use plastics and their presence in our ecosystem. That includes banning certain single-use plastics and microbeads. I will come back to the noble Baroness on her request for a date on the progress of those issues.