Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if the Government will consider the potential merits of a tax on pollution to support environmental objectives.

The Government has, and continues to develop, a suite of environmental tax measures which support environmental objectives, including targeting pollution. These taxes include the Plastic Packaging Tax (to be introduced from 2022), the Landfill Tax and the Climate Change Levy.

The Government also established the UK Emissions Trading Scheme in January 2021, and has committed to exploring expanding the Scheme to the two thirds of emissions not currently covered.

There are no current plans to introduce a general tax on pollution, but the Government keeps all taxes under review.