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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what progress has been made on the introduction of a national deposit return scheme.

The Government’s preference is to adopt a UK-wide approach to a deposit return scheme (DRS) if one is introduced. Waste and recycling policy is a devolved matter, but we are working closely with the Devolved Administrations in delivering our shared ambitions to improve waste and recycling outcomes and promote resource efficiency in the UK.

The recently published consultation on introducing a DRS is being undertaken jointly by the UK and Welsh Governments and the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs in Northern Ireland.