Caroline Lucas (Brighton, Pavilion, Green) spoke in
parliament on this.
The hon. Gentleman is making a compelling case. Does he agree that if the Government care about evidence-based policy, as I am sure they do, the evidence coming from, among other places, Wales, where the tax has already been
implemented, shows that it has managed to reduce the use of plastic bags by up to 95%? It also has 70% support among the general population. If the Government care about evidence, there is a lot to support the tax.
Link to this Hansard source (Citation: HC Deb, 17 October 2012, c89WH)
Zac Goldsmith (Richmond Park, Conservative)says:
I thank the hon. Lady for her intervention. I absolutely agree with her—indeed, she has taken the words out of my mouth. I shall come to the Welsh example very soon.
While a different Tory, Mark Pawsey (Rugby, Conservative)says:
Does my hon. Friend agree with David Laist of the Marine Mammal Commission in the United States? He wrote in March 2008:
“Plastic bags don’t figure in entanglement. The main culprits are fishing gear, ropes, lines and strapping bands. Most mammals are too big to get caught up in a plastic bag…For birds, plastic bags are not a problem either.”
The environmental impact is, in many instances, overstated.
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