Written questions by Dowden.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to help reduce the use of plastic.

This Government has already taken a number of steps to help reduce the use of plastic. We have banned the supply of single-use vapes, effective from 1 June 2025. From this date onwards all vapes sold in the UK must be rechargeable and refillable. We have also legislated to ban the supply and sale of wet wipes containing plastic in England, marking a major step forward in tackling the plastic and microplastic pollution which harms our waterways. This Government is also committed to moving to a circular economy for plastics, reducing our reliance on virgin materials and prioritising principles of reduction, reuse, and recycling, to keep resources within the economy, rather than increasing production of virgin materials and injecting additional resources. We are finalising the Circular Economy Growth Plan and intend to publish it soon. The Plan will set out how Government will deliver a more circular and more prosperous economy.

Food and Rural Affairs, what progress her Department has made in helping to reduce the amount of plastic waste.

This Government is committed to moving to a circular economy for plastics – a future where resources are kept in use for longer and waste is designed out. This systemic change, with investment in green jobs and vital infrastructure, builds a path to economic growth, progress towards Net Zero, restoration of nature, and a more resilient economy.We are finalising the Circular Economy Growth Plan and intend to publish it soon. The Government has also introduced the Extended Producer Responsibility for Packaging scheme. The scheme works by charging fees to the businesses that produce and/or supply household packaging. From 2026 fees will be higher for materials that are hard to recycle, and lower for packaging that can be easily recycled. Illustrative fees, published in December 2025, estimate that 45% of plastic packaging will attract a ‘red’ rating and therefore incur higher fees. The Government is launching a Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) in October 2027 that will cover PET plastic and metal drinks containers (like bottles and cans). The aim of DRS is to reduce littering, boost recycling rates and improve material quality for recycling.

Food and Rural Affairs, if she will take steps to help reduce waste caused by single use plastics.

This Government has already taken a number of steps to help reduce waste caused by single use plastics. We have banned the supply of single-use vapes, effective from 1 June 2025. From this date onwards all vapes sold in the UK must be rechargeable and refillable. We have also legislated to ban the supply and sale of wet wipes containing plastic in England, marking a major step forward in tackling the plastic and microplastic pollution which harms our waterways. We will continue to review the latest evidence on problematic products and/or materials to take a systematic approach, in line with circular economy principles, to reduce the use of unnecessary single-use plastic products and encourage reuse solutions.

Food and Rural Affairs, if she will prohibit bottom-towed fishing gear in all 41 Marine Protected Areas.

The consultation on the latest round of proposed fisheries byelaws, which proposes further restrictions on bottom trawling in 41 of England’s offshore Marine Protected Areas, closed on 29 September. The Marine Management Organisation is now carefully considering all responses received, and decisions will be made in due course.