Environmental Protection (Plastic Straws, Cotton Buds and Stirrers) (England) Regulations 2020 Debate
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Lord Oates
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Environmental Protection (Plastic Straws, Cotton Buds and Stirrers) (England) Regulations 2020
Lord Oates Excerpts(3 years, 9 months ago)
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Lord Oates (LD) [V]
My Lords, I welcome the regulations as far as they go, but I fear that the scope of exemptions for plastic straws may undermine their effectiveness and make enforcement harder. I recognise of course the need to provide exemptions for people with disabilities, but the exemption seems wider than necessary. Although catering establishments will not be allowed to display them, as I understand it, they will be able to provide them to anyone on request, whether or not they have a disability need. Can the Minister confirm whether that is the case?
Finally, what assessment has been made of local authority trading standards’ capacity to enforce these regulations? Does the Minister recognise the impacts of budget cuts to trading standards of up to 60% over the past decade? Will he urge his colleagues in the Treasury to provide local authorities with the funding to allow trading standards to enforce the laws and regulations that we pass in this House?