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

What steps he is taking to reduce plastic waste in England.

Our Resources and Waste Strategy, which we will publish in the autumn, will explain how we will eliminate all avoidable plastic waste. The Government intends to ban the sale of plastic straws, drink stirrers and plastic-stemmed cotton buds. There are also plans to introduce a deposit return scheme in England. Both approaches are subject to consultation. This builds on the success of the carrier bag charge which has taken 9 billion carrier bags out of circulation. As stated in the 25 Year Environment Plan, we will review the producer responsibility schemes.