We know—and I know I keep repeating this—that we do lead the way in the UK when it comes to recycling, so we're coming at this from a different starting point from our counterparts in both Scotland and England, but we are not complacent. We want to be first in the world on recycling by both complementing the work that is already being done here and building on it with a system that works for us all in Wales.

At the moment, we also aspire to be a refill nation. I was pleased, in my previous portfolio, to announce our ambition to do this and to see many communities across the country taking this up now. I also note that the Member's own local authority, Caerphilly, is in the process of setting up a refill scheme across the county and is proactively encouraging businesses in the area to sign up at refill stations. It's an incredibly simple but effective way to not only help people in terms of health and well-being and rehydration but actually to cut down on single-use plastic bottles in the process.

We've talked about taxation here today. We know that the UK Government in the 2018 budget announced measures regarding a plastics tax. The Welsh Treasury is now working with HM Treasury on the possibility of [Inaudible.] single-use disposal plastic tax through taxation, and we are monitoring closely the development of proposals in this area to make sure stakeholders have an opportunity to help inform thinking and that any measures are both fit for purpose and fit with our ambitions with our Welsh way on tackling waste.

On a tax on single-use beverage containers, often known in the press and colloquially as a 'latte levy', we did say previously that introducing a stand-alone Welsh tax levy or charge on single-use beverage/drinks containers remains an option for Wales, and it's something that I'm keen to explore further. Alongside this, we also welcome the aims of the single-use plastics EU directive and broadly support the measures that have been put forward. My officials are currently examining the final draft text and continue to work with the UK Government and devolved administrations to determine how best to implement the various provisions included.

Dirprwy Lywydd, I'm aware of the constraints on time today. We've talked about the waste hierarchy and the need to reduce and reuse as well as recycle, and there are a great number of reuse projects happening across the country now, and I've been pleased to visit a number of them. But actually one important issue that I do want to mention is the development of a route-map for improving the circularity of plastic in Wales. The principal focus of this is increasing recycled content within plastic products and components of packaging that are manufactured here in Wales but also significantly reducing our reliance on overseas markets to recycle the plastics collected here.

I think it's essential that Wales develops a circular economy in terms of the plastic we use, dispose of and reprocess, and we are supporting this through our £6.5 million circular economy investment fund. We want to support and encourage innovation and new technologies so that we see a wider range of plastics collected and recycled and increase the use of recycled plastics in manufacturing. This will not only be efficient by reducing plastic waste but it can also create more jobs and help grow our economy. So, we can see that when we get things right on the environment, it can bring broader economic benefits. And we're seeing more and more organisations such as zero-waste shops and the popularity of that growing across the country, and that is to be welcomed. I think we've said here before that we are almost going full circle. We've basked in the convenience of that throwaway culture in the past, and now there is growing realisation of the impact that is having for today and for the future, so more people are going back to actually thinking about our own behaviours and how we actually cut down on our own single-use plastic use as well. The Member mentioned a few in his own constituency, including Transcend Packaging, which is indeed a Welsh company supported by Welsh Government, which supplies paper straws to McDonald's across the country. I understand they're phasing it out at the moment, in terms of McDonald's itself, and I'm looking forward to potentially visiting the McDonald's in north Wales where I had my first ever job to see the paper straws in use there.

You're right that we led the way on the plastic bags levy, and I'm not quite sure but I think you're right that we don't want to go quite as far as Kenya, but actually it does show how other countries are—. This is on the agenda for all of us, and the really valid point you make is about not taking piecemeal action, but that we think about this holistically and bring all the things we've talked about today together, and look at, actually, the impact of what we do and make sure it works for us in Wales. The onus is on all of us to take action, and I think we can see today that we are. That awareness is growing, and our communities are leading the way. Our country has led the way before, and I am personally passionate, and this Government places political priority on us continuing to lead the way in the interests of our environment, economy and future generations.