Written question WQ94644
- Asked by
- Andrew RT DaviesConservative
- To be answered by
- Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs
- Tabled
- Due
- Answered
- Time to answer
- 10 days
Question
What discussions has the Cabinet Secretary had with a) the office of the internal market; and b) new DEFRA Ministers on the inclusion of glass in the proposed Welsh deposit-return scheme?
Answer
Answered by Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs
I have met and am in regular contact with new Defra Ministers regarding the implementation of the Deposit Return Schemes across the UK. I have not held any meetings with the Office of the Internal Market.
The Regulatory Impact Assessment for the DRS including its impact on small producers will be published in due course
The regulations are planned to be laid early in the New Year.
We are engaging with industry on the initial scope of glass drinks containers to be included. The proposals do not include a separate reuseable glass scheme for Wales. However, to ensure that any DRS we implement is as future-proof as possible, international best practice demonstrates that incorporating reuse and refill systems is a logical next step and benefits from consideration at the design stage.
There are multiple international examples of DRSs operating within single markets with porous borders in Europe, North America and Australia.