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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he plans to introduce extended producer responsibility regulations for fashion retailers.

The Government has convened a Circular Economy Taskforce of experts to help develop the first ever Circular Economy Strategy for England, which it plans to publish for consultation in the coming autumn.

The Circular Economy Taskforce will initially focus on six sectors that have the greatest potential to grow the economy, one of which is Textiles. The Circular Economy Taskforce recognises the importance of an extended producer responsibility (EPR) scheme for textiles. As we develop the strategy, we will consider the evidence for action right across the economy and evaluate what interventions may be needed, including but not limited to EPR.