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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with local authorities on materials to be included in his Department's proposed deposit return scheme.

Waste is a devolved matter. As part of the Government's ambitious commitments to reforming producer responsibility systems, we have committed to introduce a deposit return scheme (DRS) for drinks containers.

Officials have been developing proposals for a deposit return scheme for drinks containers using further evidence and ongoing engagement with stakeholders. This has included several meetings with representatives from local authorities. The Local Authority Recycling Advisory Committee, the Local Government Association and a Local Authority representative from both Northern Ireland and Wales are also members of our DRS industry working group which has met to discuss materials to be included in a DRS.