Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether his Department has made an assessment of how imported plastic from Saudi Arabia might impact on the viability of domestic recycled plastic production.

The Department for Business and Trade has not made any specific assessment of the impact of plastic imports from Saudi Arabia on domestic recycled plastic production.

We are, however, working to ensure the viability of domestic production. This year marks the start of DEFRA’s collection and packaging reforms and a Deposit Return Scheme which will provide feedstock certainty through guaranteeing supply of materials for recycling, whilst also stimulating private investment in infrastructure. Government departments also continue to work closely together to identify interventions necessary to stabilise the sector and set it up for success.