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Written Question
Plastic Bags
Tuesday 3rd February 2015

Asked by: Stephen Gilbert (Liberal Democrat - St Austell and Newquay)

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, for what reasons small and medium-sized enterprises are exempted from the provisions of the draft B Single Use Carrier Bags Charges (England) Order 2015; and if she will bring forward a revised draft Order omitting that exemption.

Answered by Dan Rogerson

We have chosen to exempt small and medium businesses (with fewer than 250 employees) from the plastic bag charge to avoid placing an administrative burden on start-up and growing businesses at a time when we are supporting growth in the economy.

Large companies make up the major proportion of the country’s retail market. For example, the relatively small number of retail companies in the UK with more than 500 employees employ 65% of people working in retail and have 69% of annual retail business turnover.

We have no plans to remove the exemption for small and medium businesses, although those businesses are able to charge on a voluntary basis.

Speech in Commons Chamber - Thu 09 Jan 2014
Rural Communities

"I congratulate my hon. Friend on this debate. In Cornwall, the reality is that we have higher than average council tax, lower than average earnings and less money spent per head in the rural areas than in the urban areas. Closing that gap by just 10% a year for the …..."
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Speech in Commons Chamber - Mon 25 Nov 2013
Water Bill

"It may please you, Madam Deputy Speaker, and the rest of the House to know that I do not intend to take 10 minutes for my remarks, let alone an extended period of time. Other colleagues will, I hope, be able to get in and make valid points on this …..."
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Speech in Commons Chamber - Mon 25 Nov 2013
Water Bill

"And the hon. Gentleman will know that the coalition Government acted to take £50 off bills in the south-west, which has made a real difference to affordability for my constituents and others who have suffered for a very long time...."
Stephen Gilbert - View Speech

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Speech in Commons Chamber - Mon 25 Nov 2013
Water Bill

"As with everything my hon. Friend says, her question was good in part—the first part was very good, but on the second part I am afraid I must disagree. The Liberal Democrats in Cornwall have certainly fought for many decades to redress the unfair water bills that my constituents and …..."
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Speech in Commons Chamber - Mon 25 Nov 2013
Water Bill

"At the risk of breaking my earlier promise to you, Madam Deputy Speaker, I will give way once more...."
Stephen Gilbert - View Speech

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Speech in Commons Chamber - Mon 25 Nov 2013
Water Bill

"The hon. Lady and I know each other well, and I certainly would not be so churlish as to deny the all-party effort in Cornwall and Devon to drive the issue forward, but unfortunately in Westminster for 13 years the Labour Government did nothing. It was the coalition Government who …..."
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Speech in Commons Chamber - Tue 26 Mar 2013
Flood Insurance

"I join my hon. Friend the Member for South East Cornwall (Sheryll Murray) in expressing condolences to the family and friends of her constituent, who was so tragically killed. It shows the importance of this debate and the need, as all Members have said, for the Government to get on …..."
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Speech in Commons Chamber - Tue 26 Mar 2013
Flood Insurance

"My hon. Friend pre-empts the point I was about to make, and which I have made before. We need to review the Bellwin scheme in order to take account of different types of local authority structure, whether single-tier, such as Cornwall’s unitary council, which I believe gives Cornwall a stronger …..."
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Speech in Commons Chamber - Mon 26 Nov 2012
Flooding

"Not only are hundreds of homes in Cornwall flooded now, but they were flooded two years ago. What plans does the Secretary of State have to ensure that flood insurance remains affordable and available for communities such as mine in Cornwall, that have been devastated again and face the risk …..."
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