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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he has made an assessment of the merits of a variable rate of deposit for the Deposit Return Scheme.

The Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) regulations provide the powers for the Deposit Management Organisation (DMO) - who will be appointed by Government to administer the DRS. The regulations also set out what the DMO must consider and who they must consult in determining the deposit level, including whether a fixed or variable rate deposit is appropriate and, when doing so, have regard to the views expressed in responses to the consultation.