Hansard

Plastic Bags

Volume 686: debated on Thursday 2 November 2006

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Lord Lester of Herne Hill

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What steps they are taking to reduce the use of plastic bags by customers.[HL7768]

The Minister of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
(Lord Rooker)

Defra provided funding for the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) to carry out a pilot reusable bag campaign with retailers last autumn, aimed at reducing the consumption of plastic carrier bags by promoting the message of reuse to the public.

Following on from this, on 12 October, my honourable friend, the Minister for Local Environment, Marine and Animal Welfare, and Mr Ross Finnie, Minister for Environment and Rural Development at the Scottish Executive, met UK retailers and representatives from the devolved Administrations, to discuss a draft voluntary code of practice aimed at reducing the number of paper and plastic carrier bags distributed to consumers.

The Government and retailers have committed to work together to encourage the reuse and recycling of bags and agree targets for their reduction. It is hoped that as many retailers as possible will sign up to the code, and this will result in a significant change in consumer behaviour.