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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions his Department has had with drinks manufacturers on replacing plastic straws with paper straws.

The Government has actively engaged with a wide range of industry groups, including drinks manufacturers and their representative organisations, on measures to both minimise the waste from single-use plastics and increase recycling as part of the commitment we gave to eradicate all avoidable plastic waste in our 25 Year Environment Plan.

We recently announced our plans to ban plastic straws, stirrers and cotton buds which will be subject to a full formal consultation with industry and others. We will continue to work with those groups and local authorities as we take forward the actions needed to deliver the Plan.