Oral Answers to Questions

Mark Pawsey Excerpts
Tuesday 30th April 2019

(4 years, 11 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Andrew Stephenson Portrait Andrew Stephenson
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The UK has committed to being a global leader on this topic. We have already taken more than 15 billion plastic carrier bags out of the economy, we are consulting on a deposit return scheme and we have introduced proposals for a world-leading new tax on plastic packaging that does not meet minimum thresholds. There is always more that we can do, but there is an awful lot that we have already done.

Mark Pawsey Portrait Mark Pawsey (Rugby) (Con)
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Does the Minister recognise the contribution of the UK packaging manufacturing industry, which has annual sales of £12 billion, employs 85,000 people and makes up 3% of the UK manufacturing base, in working closely to increase the percentage of recycled material by using innovative new technologies and materials?

Andrew Stephenson Portrait Andrew Stephenson
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I thank my hon. Friend for that question. The UK plastics industry is vital to our economy, employing more than 170,000 people. This new challenge for the sector allows it to create new jobs as it embraces our challenging targets and ambitions in this area.