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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what comparative assessment he has made of having an all-in deposit return system and an on-the-go system in respect of the potential effects of those systems on (a) the climate and (b) healthy oceans.

It is estimated that 80% of man-made debris in the marine environment originated on land before being thrown, blown or washed into rivers, canals and the seas. Keep Britain Tidy surveys have found high levels of drinks related litter, including 52% of surveyed sites containing litter related to non-alcoholic drinks and 20% of litter on beaches demonstrated to be as a result of food and drinks packaging.

The Government believes that the introduction of a deposit return scheme will help reduce the impact of littered drinks containers on our environment. Our current impact assessment on the introduction of a deposit return scheme assumes that the scheme can reduce drinks containers being littered by an estimated 85%.

The impact assessment also suggests that the 'All-in' model has the potential to lead to carbon emissions savings worth £6 million by year 11 and the 'On-the-go' model has the potential to lead to carbon emissions savings worth £1 million by year 11.

We are currently analysing the responses to the recent consultation on the deposit return scheme for drinks with a view to publishing a government response and final impact assessment in due course. This will include a final decision on the scope and materials to be included in the scheme.