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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the viability of a deposit return scheme in the UK.

Since consulting on the introduction of a Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) for drinks containers in 2019, officials have been developing final proposals for a DRS using further evidence and ongoing engagement with stakeholders. This will be presented in a second consultation in 2021 alongside a full impact assessment.