With the UK Government having launched a consultation proposing to double the carrier bag levy, North Wales Assembly Member Mark Isherwood has asked the First Minister whether the Welsh Government has any plans to follow suit.
The single use carrier bags charge came into force in Wales on 1 October 2011 and has been highly effective at reducing waste, whilst also raising money for local, national and environmental charities.
Wales was the first UK nation to introduce a levy, It wasn’t introduced in England until 2015.
With the UK Government now announcing plans to double the charge in England, Mr Isherwood is keen to ensure that Wales does not now lag behind in its efforts to reduced plastic.
Raising the matter in yesterday’s Business Statement, he said:
“During the recess, on 27 December, the UK Government launched a consultation proposing that the carrier bag levy should be doubled from 5p to 10p and extended to all shops. Given that Wales originally took the lead on this and the collective wish to drive against plastic waste, can we have a statement from the Welsh Government in response to this, and how it might independently, or in parallel with the consultation in England, propose to go forward on this matter itself?”
The Finance Minister, Rebecca Evans AM, replied:
“I know that the Deputy Minister is now exploring where we do take this next, because, clearly, having led the way, we want to certainly be maintaining the momentum that we have started in this particular area. But not just with plastic carrier bags, of course, but looking at reducing plastic in many other walks of life and aspects of life as well.”
Mr Isherwood added:
“Wales led the way in the introduction of the plastic bag charge but through the recent inertia from the Labour Government, we’ve given up the lead. Welsh Conservatives believe we need to reinvigorate our efforts to sustain the dramatic reduction we have seen in plastic usage over the past few years.”
