Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the contribution that banning the production, sale and use of single-use plastic carrier bags could make towards achieving his Department's target of eliminating all avoidable plastic waste.

The Government’s priority is preventing plastic from entering the environment in the first place, be it the marine or terrestrial environment. The Resources and Waste Strategy, published in December last year, sets out our plans to eliminate all avoidable plastic waste. This encompasses all types of plastic and we are already taking action. The 5p charge on single use carrier bags has been highly effective in reducing the amount of plastic we use in our everyday lives, whilst also raising money for local, national and environmental charities.

Defra commissioned an independent study in 2018 to explore the possible impacts of a ban on the supply of single use plastic bags in England. The Government is not currently considering an outright ban. We recognise the role that a single use carrier bag can play in spontaneous unplanned purchasing, and that alternative bag types can potentially have a significantly higher carbon impact than single use carrier bags.

Defra published a consultation in December 2018 on plans to extend the existing carrier bag charge to small and medium sized enterprises and to increase the charge to 10p. The Government response will be published in due course.