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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, which Ministers of his Department have taken part in (a) beach cleans and (b) other activities to remove plastic and other litter from the environment since June 2015; and what steps he is taking to enable officials of his Department to take part in such activities.

We are supportive of initiatives that seek to encourage the clean-up of both land and sea. Ministers and officials have carried out litter-picks as part of Clean for the Queen in 2016 and the Great British Spring Clean, the Big Spring Beach Clean and the Great British Beach Clean in 2017. Ministers also participate in local beach cleans and litter-picks taking place in their own constituencies, and all staff are encouraged to take part in litter-picks in their local areas. Staff are also allocated volunteer days which they can use for similar activities.