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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if her Department will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing a ban on the import and sale of plastic flying rings.

Tackling marine litter and plastic pollution is a priority for the Government, which is why we are working domestically and internationally to implement measures that will prevent plastic and other litter from reaching the ocean in the first place.

The Government has not undertaken a specific assessment of the impact of plastic flying rings on seal populations. However, investigations of seal strandings conducted through the Government-funded Cetacean Strandings Investigation Programme (CSIP) record and assess causes of seal injury and mortality, including cases involving marine litter. There have been no recorded instances of seal fatalities due to flying rings since routine seal mortality investigations were added into the CSIP in 2022.

Defra's Marine and Coastal Wildlife Code for England provides guidance on how to act responsibly around marine wildlife when visiting the coast, including the need for the public to take all litter home with them.

We would encourage anyone who sees a sick, injured or entangled seal to contact the British Divers Marine Life Rescue on 01825 765546. To report a dead seal, contact the CSIP on 0800 652 0333.