To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs what steps he is taking to reduce the (i) production; and (ii) sale of single-use plastics.

I have advised you in previous correspondence that DAERA has joined the other UK Administrations in becoming a member of the UK Plastics Pact this year. In contributing to the pact, the Department is directly funding the work of its organisers, the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP), to develop and disseminate approaches to reduce the environmental impact of plastic packaging. Membership of the pact also enables the Department to use its contact networks to share innovations, data, analyses and reports with businesses.

I also advised you that I am also working closely with my Ministerial colleagues across the UK in introducing legislation to promote a Circular Economy waste package which will help to keep plastic in the economy and out of the environment. Together with other UK Ministers I am considering introducing legislation on a Deposit Return Scheme and an Extended Producer Responsibility Scheme, both of which would significantly help to increase the rate of plastic recycling and would be supported by a HM Treasury plastic packaging tax that is specifically designed to incentivise the market for recycled plastic. Further consultations on these schemes are proposed in 2021. I am also presently reviewing the carrier bag levy as there is evidence that many reusable bags are only being used once.

My department’s College for Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise (CAFRE) has developed long-standing expertise and specialism regarding the use of packaging for food and drink products. CAFRE’s Packaging Technologists provide technology transfer support to businesses in Northern Ireland, helping them to critically analyse and select packaging that will perform to meet the requirements of the producer and consumer. CAFRE is working with food and drink processors from the Northern Ireland Food and Drink Association (NIFDA) to potentially reduce plastic food packaging.

My Department continues to explore a range of approaches including partnering with Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful (KNIB) and Sustainable NI in a Tackling Plastic project that is working with schools and businesses and with the public sector in identifying practical ways to reduce or eliminate many unnecessary single-use plastics (SUP). As part of this work my Department has taken advice from other UK government departments and has been engaging with other agencies, departments and including working with Department of Finance, Construction & Procurement Delivery colleagues to find ways to encourage suppliers to reduce their SUP consumption.

I hope you can appreciate that these measures address issues around the production and sale of single use plastics, conserving resources through reuse and recycling as well as supporting the twin aims of reducing plastic pollution and addressing climate change.