Small, Independent Brewers

Part of 1. Questions to the First Minister – in the Senedd at 2:20 pm on 24 May 2022.

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Photo of Mark Drakeford Mark Drakeford Labour 2:20, 24 May 2022

Well, Llywydd, I think it's important to set out some of the background to the issue that the Member highlights. We had agreed a joint set of proposals for a deposit-return scheme with the UK Government. We took part in a joint consultation on those joint set of proposals with them, and it is only in the post-consultation design of the DRS scheme that the UK Government for England decided to move away from the scope of materials that we had agreed with them would be included within the scheme. So, when the Member asks me what we are doing to secure a joined-up approach, his question is really to be directed to his colleagues in the UK Government, because it is they, not us, who changed their minds about a scheme that we had jointly agreed with them.

And just for those who weren't following the detail of the supplementary question closely, I should point out that what the Member is complaining of is that we will include glass bottles in our scheme, as they do in Scotland, whereas in England they have now decided not to do so. Maybe Janet Finch-Saunders, given the force with which she spoke about the importance of glass bottles today, could help the UK Government to come to a different conclusion on that matter.

Welsh companies will have to have different labelling now because the English Government has decided not to have a common scheme between Scotland, Wales and England. Because they will have to be compliant with the Scottish regulations, these are inevitable for Welsh businesses. It's not a matter of saying, 'If we went in with England, they wouldn't need to do it.' They'll be selling into the Scottish market, and they'll have to do it for them.

In the meantime, there are some mitigating measures that we will discuss with the sector and work with them. We can talk with them about the level of annual registration fee; we will discuss with them the design of the online aspects of the scheme; and we will talk with them about an approach to labelling requirements, so that we can mitigate the difficulties that the UK Government has now caused for small, independent brewers here in Wales.

But, in the end, Llywydd, let's not forget that the DRS is a form of extended producer responsibility. Businesses who place products on the market have to cover the costs of managing the waste of the products that they sell, and that includes recycling at the end of their intended use, and we will continue to pursue that objective here in Wales.