draft Deposit Scheme for Drinks Containers (England and Northern Ireland) Regulations 2024
352Ayes
75Noes
Carried · majority 277 · Government won220 did not vote
647 Members · Aye 352 · No 75 · DNV 220 · grey dots in centre are abstentions
Analysis
Commons
Commons
On 21 January 2025, MPs voted to approve the Deposit Scheme for Drinks Containers (England and Northern Ireland) Regulations 2024, passing the measure by 352 votes to 75. The regulations establish a deposit return scheme under which consumers pay a small deposit when buying bottled drinks and reclaim it by returning the empty container to a collection point for recycling. The scheme, which covers England and Northern Ireland, is designed to increase recycling rates for drinks containers and reduce plastic waste and littering. Retailers and producers will be drawn into a system of collecting and processing returned containers, with the deposit acting as a financial incentive for consumers to return rather than discard packaging. The government backed the measure, classifying the regulations under its environmental agenda. The vote divided sharply along party lines. All 300 Labour MPs and all 36 Labour and Co-operative MPs who voted backed the scheme, as did the three Green MPs, two "Your Party" MPs, and single representatives from the SDLP and Alliance Party of Northern Ireland. The 66 Conservatives who voted all opposed it, joined by five Democratic Unionist Party MPs and two Reform UK MPs. Seven independents voted for and two against. Around 50 Conservative MPs had no vote recorded.
Voting Aye meant
Support introducing a deposit return scheme to boost drinks container recycling rates and reduce littering and plastic waste.
Voting No meant
Oppose the deposit return scheme, likely citing concerns about costs to businesses, burdens on retailers, or the scheme's design and implementation.
Each row is one party. The stacked bar gives the within-party split of Aye / No / Absent; the columns on the right give the raw counts. The whip column shows the published party position — “Free vote” means the whip was formally removed for this division.
Party
Whip
Aye / No / Abs
Aye
No
Abs
Labour Party
Whipped Aye
300
0
61
Conservative and Unionist Party
Whipped No
0
66
50
Liberal Democrats
—
1
0
70
Labour and Co-operative Party
Whipped Aye
36
0
6
Independent
—
7
2
5
Scottish National Party
—
0
0
9
Reform UK
—
0
2
5
Sinn Féin
—
0
0
7
Democratic Unionist Party
Whipped No
0
5
0
Green Party of England and Wales
Whipped Aye
3
0
1
Plaid Cymru
—
0
0
4
Social Democratic and Labour Party
—
1
0
1
Your Party
—
2
0
0
Alliance Party of Northern Ireland
—
1
0
0
Restore Britain
—
0
1
0
Speaker
—
0
0
1
Traditional Unionist Voice
—
1
0
0
Ulster Unionist Party
—
1
0
0
Source · Hansard · UK Parliament Votes API · whip status from announced positions; “free vote” indicates the whip was formally removed
Strong advocate for the scheme as overdue environmental reform that will reduce litter, support 21,000 green jobs, and deliver £10bn in recycling investment; scheme is evidence-based, well-tested internationally, and places obligations on producers not consumers.Labour · Voted aye · Read full speech (4,697 words) →
Opposed on grounds of timing and cost; argues the scheme imposes £288m annual net cost on business during an economic crisis created by Labour's Budget; notes Conservatives have strong recycling record and previous DRS commitment but circumstances have changed.Conservative · Voted no · Read full speech (1,855 words) →
Sympathetic to recycling goals but concerned about lack of Northern Ireland Assembly input, unclear government coordination with DAERA, and interoperability challenges with different Republic of Ireland scheme; seeks clarification on stakeholder engagement.DUP · Voted no · Read full speech (942 words) →
Supportive but emphasises need for bipartisan environmental approach; credits previous Conservative Environment Act 2021 but warns government action is insufficient to meet 2042 targets; calls for faster, more comprehensive circular economy measures.Labour · Voted aye · Read full speech (751 words) →
Welcoming but conditional; advocates for joined-up UK scheme, additional Environment Agency funding, small business support, and warns of risks to local authority revenue from lost recyclable material sales.Liberal Democrat · Voted no_vote_recorded · Read full speech (752 words) →
Cautiously supportive but deeply concerned about glass sector impacts; questions high EPR fees (£240/tonne vs Germany's €28), requests clarification on imported glass liability, and warns DRS exclusion of glass harms UK manufacturers.Labour · Voted aye · Read full speech (1,043 words) →
Welcoming but disappointed by glass exclusion; notes 46 of 50 global schemes include glass and argues glass exclusion is a missed opportunity; requests government work with Welsh Government on including glass.Green · Voted aye · Read full speech (301 words) →
Supportive in principle but argues for inclusion of glass, which is dangerous litter; warns glass exclusion risks unintended consequences like shift to heavier goods and increased carbon; calls for UK-wide consistency.Liberal Democrat · Voted aye · Read full speech (719 words) →
Sources
Division dataUK Parliament Votes API
DebateHansard · Commons
Stance analysisAI analysis · Claude 4.x
LicenceOpen Parliament Licence v3.0