It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. Ministers will correspond directly with the Member.

It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. Ministers will correspond directly with the Member.

It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. Ministers will correspond directly with the Member.

It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. Ministers will correspond directly with the Member.

Government strongly encourages all organisations with responsibility for sporting and cultural events, to find sustainable and environmentally-friendly ways of operating.

The EventIMPACTS website, supported by DCMS, provides advice and support for event organisers to help them implement ISO 20121- which is the international standard on sustainable events.

Arts Council England (ACE) support a number of organisations and projects which focus on the environment and sustainability.

The UK is committed to tackling the scourge of marine litter and we are making significant progress towards addressing this issue. Our approach so far has been to reduce needless plastic waste entering the marine environment in the first instance.

Our ban on microbeads in cosmetic and personal care products, one of the strongest in the world, came into force in June 2018. Our plastic bag charge has led to a 90% reduction in the use of plastic carrier bags in the main retailers and last year alone raised over £51 million for environmental causes. We have consulted on plans to extend the charge to all retailers and on increasing the minimum 5p charge to at least 10p. In May 2019, we announced that a ban on the supply of plastic straws, stirrers, and plastic-stemmed cotton buds to the end user will come into force from April 2020. These policies are helping to deliver our Resources and Waste Strategy for England, our framework for eliminating all avoidable plastic waste. It builds on commitments in our 25 Year Environment Plan and sets out plans to maximise the value we get from resources, minimise waste, promote a circular economy, and better protect the environment.

Marine litter is a transboundary problem which requires international cooperation; that is why we are leading action on the global threat of marine litter. We continue to actively engage internationally through OSPAR, the G7 and the G20, and the UN. In April 2018, the Prime Minister announced the Commonwealth Clean Ocean Alliance, a ground-breaking initiative working with our Commonwealth partners to reduce marine plastic pollution. To help deliver this, we committed an ambitious package of up to £70 million of funding to drive research and innovation.

Any reduction in single-use plastics in healthcare would need to be supported by research and have the backing of clinical and technical experts.

NHS England and NHS Improvement is currently focusing on reducing the use of avoidable single use plastics in catering services. Products targeted include single-use plastic stirrers and straws, except where a person has a specific need, in line with the Government consultation on single-use plastic cutlery, plates or single-use cups made of expanded polystyrene or oxo-degradable plastics.

We are committed to the National Health Service “being the safest healthcare system in the world”. The NHS Patient Safety Strategy was published in July 2019.

On 16 April this year, the Government announced it will fully fund a scheme to provide access to free period products in schools and colleges in England. We are developing this scheme in conjunction with schools and 16-19 education providers to ensure it best meets the needs of all learners. We are committed to encouraging the use of sustainable products where possible and will work with stakeholders to explore whether this can be integrated into the scheme. In addition, in light of the period poverty initiative, NHS Supply Chain plans to widen the scope of the sanitary products available to the NHS. This will include focusing on providing more sustainable, non-plastic products such as menstrual cups and washable sanitary towels.

The Resources and Waste Strategy sets out the Government’s plans to reduce plastic pollution and to move towards a more circular economy. The strategy outlines the actions we will take to encourage producers to take more responsibility for the lifespan of their products and make sure these are more carefully designed with resource efficiency and waste prevention in mind. Our ambition is to eliminate all avoidable plastic waste throughout the lifetime of the 25 Year Environment Plan, and for the most problematic plastics we are going faster. We have already made good progress and will continue to review the latest evidence on problematic products and materials to take a systematic approach to reducing the use of unnecessary single-use plastic products.

Last year the Government published the Resources and Waste Strategy, setting out our plans to reduce, reuse and recycle more plastic than we do now. Our target is to eliminate all avoidable plastic waste throughout the life of the 25 Year Environment Plan, but for the most problematic plastics we are going faster - that is why we commit to work towards all plastic packaging placed on the UK market being recyclable, reusable or compostable by 2025.

We have made good progress, the Government’s plastic bag charge has led to a 90% reduction in the use of plastic carrier bags in the main retailers and raised in last year alone over £51 million for environmental causes. The Government also recently consulted on plans to extend the charge to all retailers and on increasing the minimum charge to at least 10p.

We have recently consulted on a suite of measures to help overhaul the waste system. Collectively our proposals are aimed at boosting recycled content in plastic packaging, through a proposed tax on plastic packaging which does not meet a minimum threshold of at least 30% recycled content. This will make producers foot the bill for handling the packaging they place on the market when it becomes waste, and ending the confusion over household recycling by introducing more consistency in collection services. In addition, earlier this year the Government announced that a ban on the supply of plastic straws, stirrers, and plastic-stemmed cotton buds to the end user will come into force from April 2020.

Industry is also taking action, in April last year, the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) and the Ellen MacArthur Foundation launched their world-leading UK Plastics Pact, with support from the Government, accounting for over 85% of plastic packaging used in UK supermarkets. The Pact brings organisations from across the supply chain together, from plastic manufacturers through to waste management companies, with four key targets for 2025 that aim to reduce the amount of plastic waste generated, including one to take actions to eliminate problematic or unnecessary single-use packaging items.

This Government is building a globally competitive sustainable plastics industry through research and innovation. We have already allocated 95% of the funding available through the £20m Plastics Research and Innovation Fund. This includes £8m on academic research, £6m on collaborative R&D, £3m on an Investor Partnership with Sky Ocean Ventures and almost £2m on a Circular Plastics flagship programme with WRAP (Waste and Resources Action Plan). WRAP is also administering a number of grant opportunities on behalf of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

As confirmed in July, BEIS will also provide up to £60 million, bolstered by an expected £149m investment from the private sector, to establish the UK as the world’s leading innovator in smart sustainable plastic packaging, through the Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund.

A Government summary of responses and next steps was published on 23 July on Gov.uk (https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/introducing-a-deposit-return-scheme-drs-for-drinks-containers-bottles-and-cans).

The Department has no plans to introduce a ban on the sale of plastic tea bags.

In general, we prefer to help people and companies make the right choice, rather than banning items outright. Where progress is insufficient we will explore alternative policy measures, which may involve further bans as part of a wider strategic approach.

My hon. Friend raises an incredibly vital point. He may be aware that the Prime Minister announced at the United Nations General Assembly last month that we are encouraging countries to join the UK-led global ocean alliance of countries in support of protecting at least 30% of the global oceans within marine protected areas by 2030.

I welcome the Secretary of State and the new Ministers to their posts. Representing a coastal constituency, I am only too well aware of the impact of pollution and plastic waste on marine life and our beaches. It was great to join many of my constituents at the recent great British beach clean. Given that much of the plastic problem affects developing countries—especially island nations—how are the Government using the aid budget to help to clear up our oceans?

Many of my constituents are concerned about plastic pollution, and I recently attended the launch of plastic-free Congleton. What are the UK Government doing to reduce, and indeed stop, plastic pollution in developing countries?

My hon. Friend is a true champion on humanitarian and environmental matters. I made reference in a previous answer to what we are doing about plastics, but I can also inform her that the UK Government have pledged £70 million to directly tackle this issue in developing countries, through the provision of technical assistance and testing practical approaches to increase plastic recycling rates.