Environmental Policy

HM Treasury has published a consultation seeking views on how changes to the tax system or charges could be used to reduce the amount of single-use plastics Britain wastes

The EU Commission have launched a consultation on ways to reduce marine litter following the publication of the EU Plastics Strategy.

The House of Commons Environmental Audit Committee has launched an inquiry into the Government’s 25 Year Environment Plan which was published last month. The Committee will scrutinise the Plan’s objectives and proposals. As part of the inquiry, the Committee has launched a call for written evidence.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has opened a consultation on ways to reduce litter and increase recycling / reuse of drinks containers, including deposit and reward and return schemes to inform the work of the Voluntary and Economic Incentives Working Group who are currently considering the feasibility of a deposit return scheme in England.

The Mayor of London's Office has opened a consultation on the draft London environment strategy. The strategy considers action in areas including: air quality, green infrastructure, climate change mitigation and energy, waste, adapting to climate change, and ambient noise.

The House of Commons Environment Audit Committee have launched an inquiry into coffee cups and plastic bottle waste.  The inquiry will look at what actions are being undertaken by industry and Government to reduce waste generated by coffee cups and plastic bottles, and investigate possible solutions, including deposit return schemes.

The Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (EFRA) Committee has launched an inquiry into the economic, social, and environmental impact of food waste in England.

The Committee will examine the impacts of food waste with a focus on consumers, the retail and hospitality sectors, and local government.

ACS' response can be found below.

Recent publications have highlighted a relative decline in the use of cash, as both consumers and businesses increasingly turn to alternative payment methods. This call for evidence seeks a better understanding of what implications the trend away from cash has for tax compliance, and in particular evasion and the hidden economy.

The government is inviting responses from individuals, businesses, tax and other representative bodies, charities, the financial services and financial technology sectors, retailers, and any other industries that regularly handle cash.

The Scottish government have launched a consultation which explores the priorities for building a more circular economy – where products and materials are kept in high value use for as long as possible.  It builds on Scotland’s progress in the zero waste and resource efficiency agendas, with a new focus on a much broader set of business and industry opportunities. The document includes a wide range of proposed measures and actions that cross a number of different aspects and sectors, for example it includes proposals on ‘skills and training’  to ensure that the right skills and expertise ar

Zero Waste Scotland have called for evidence from industry and other stakeholders on the implications of a national deposit return system in Scotland. This call for evidence has been launched in tandem with the findings of a feasibility study into a deposit return system within Scotland.

Information about the call for evidence can be viewed here: http://www.zerowastescotland.org.uk/content/deposit-return-system-%E2%80%93-call-evidence