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Written Question
Plastic Bags: Fees and Charges
Monday 30th January 2017

Asked by: Mark Menzies (Independent - Fylde)

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans her Department has to bring forward legislative proposals to require retailers who charge for single use carrier bags to donate all profits from that charge to good causes.

Answered by Thérèse Coffey

As the single use carrier bags charge is not a tax, the Government does not have the power to take the proceeds of the charge nor to determine where the charge goes. However, we expect retailers to donate the proceeds of the charge to good causes such as charities or community groups. Retailers are required to report on the uses to which the proceeds of the charge have been put to encourage them to do so.

Any additional change in policy would require an assessment of cost and efficacy implications. The Single Use Carrier Bags Charges (England) Order 2015 requires the Secretary of State to carry out a review of this Order before 5 October 2020.

Written Question
Wildlife
Thursday 7th July 2016

Asked by: Mark Menzies (Independent - Fylde)

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans the Government has to help more children access and understand nature.

Answered by Rory Stewart

The Government’s ambition is to connect more children with nature. We have supported a number of initiatives for children to access and better understand the environment. Our aim is to not only give all children the chance to experience the natural world, but also to understand it, and respond to it. For example:

Our Eight Point Plan for National Parks will:

  • Double the number of apprenticeships in National Park Authorities by 2020;
  • Provide a new package of teaching materials for schools based on National Parks;
  • Engage directly with more than 60,000 young people a year through schools visits by 2017/18.

Defra has also worked closely with its delivery bodies and partners on a Natural Connections Pilot Project that supported schools, not only to connect children with nature through outdoor learning, but also to make sure schools are able to connect outdoor learning to their curriculum.

We are also helping schools plant a million trees in their communities, so children can see first-hand the power of nature.