asked Her Majesty's Government:

When they next plan to meet representatives of the United Kingdom retailing sector to discuss the elimination of plastic bags in favour of paper and textile bags in large retail outlets. [HL4789]

Ministerial colleagues and I regularly meet representatives from the retail sector to discuss waste issues, including carrier bags.

Waste Strategy for England, published on 24 May 2007, makes it clear that the Government will work with retailers to develop ways of phasing out the use of free disposable bags, both paper and plastic, in the longer term.

This will build on the momentum being created by an existing voluntary agreement signed by major retailers in February 2007 to reduce the overall environmental impact of their carrier bags by 25 per cent by the end of 2008. The Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) is developing action plans with individual retailers and will review progress at the end of 2007.