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Plastics: Taxation

Question for Treasury

UIN HL7442, tabled on 1 May 2018

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to respond to calls from the Association of Accounting Technicians to reduce the use of single-use plastics by (1) encouraging the development of alternatives, and (2) penalising the use of single-use plastic through (a) taxation, (b) charges, and (c) incentivising behaviour change.

Answered on

15 May 2018

At Spring Statement, the Chancellor launched a call for evidence, aimed at tackling the plastic problem. This call for evidence will explore how the tax system or charges can be used to reduce single-plastic waste and make the production and consumption of single-use plastics more sustainable.

The Chancellor further supported this goal by committing £20m to businesses and universities, acting now to stimulate new thinking and develop alternative solutions in this area.

The call for evidence closes on 18 May. The government will outline how it plans to proceed once we have analysed the responses

Answered by

Treasury