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

To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to ban the export of plastic waste.

The Government is deeply concerned about the illegal trade in waste, including reports of illegal plastic waste exported from the UK.

Recognising the difficulties experienced by some countries in managing imports of plastic waste the Queen’s Speech on the 19 December included a commitment to ban the export of polluting plastic wastes to countries that are not members of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development.

The Environment Bill includes a power which will enable us to deliver on this commitment and we will consult this year on the date by which this should be achieved.