Retailers could keep plastic bag charge Minister admits

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New Environment Minister Dan Rogerson has said that retailers would be able to keep the plastic bag charge that the Government plans to introduce.

However, he added that he hoped retailers would give the 5 pence charge per single-use carrier bag to good causes.

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In a question in Parliament from Liberal Democrat MP Duncan Hames regarding who would receive the charge, the Minister said: “In England we cannot mandate where the money will go, as the relevant primary legislation, the Climate Change Act, does not allow this.

“We will discuss with retailers how the money should be spent and will encourage them to give the profits to good causes. We have an expectation that like in Wales profits will be given to good causes.”

Last month, the Government announced that it planned to introduce a 5 pence mandatory charge for single-use carrier bags from autumn 2015 in England.

Small businesses with less than 250 employees will be exempt from the charge, and the Government is also considering whether to exempt biodegradeable bags from the proposal.