To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent estimate he has made of the percentage of plastic bags which is recycled. (103752)

The UK currently recycles or recovers approximately 19 per cent. of all plastics consumed. No separate estimate has been made for plastic bags, which make up less than 1 per cent. of the household waste stream.

DEFRA and the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) are working with retailers to reduce the consumption of plastic carrier bags and promote the message of reuse to the public.