PLASTIC BAGS

Early day motion 1441, tabled 28 April 2008 by Norman Baker (Liberal Democrat). Signed by 54 members.

That this House welcomes the increased attention in the press to the pollution caused by plastic bags; notes official figures which show that one in 10 public spaces is littered with plastic bags; further notes that single-use plastic bags are only used for an average of 20 minutes but take 1,000 years to rot away; congratulates high street chains Marks & Spencer and Debenhams on their recent decision to impose a five pence charge on their single-use plastic bags; regrets that the Big Four major supermarket retailers, Tesco, Morrisons, Asda and Sainsbury's, continue to give away free plastic bags; and calls on the Big Four and other major retailers to follow the example set by Marks & Spencer and Debenhams by introducing a five pence charge on single-use plastic bags to encourage a switch to greener alternatives such as cotton, hemp and jute carriers or re-usable `bags for life'.

Signatures by party: Labour 25, Liberal Democrat 18, DUP 5, Scottish National Party 2, Social Democratic and Labour Party 2, Conservative 1, Independent 1.