Group 10: Offence of supplying prohibited single-use plastic product (Amendments 24, 42)

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 5:42 pm on 6 December 2022.

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Photo of Delyth Jewell Delyth Jewell Plaid Cymru 5:42, 6 December 2022

Sorry, I nearly took that as me, before hearing from the Llywydd. Diolch, Llywydd. I'd like to speak to amendment 42 in this group, and I'd like to thank the Government team for their assistance in drafting this. This amendment would insert a new subsection into section 5. Section 5 sets out the offence of supplying prohibited single-use plastic products.

The subsection that's new, if it's accepted, would mean that, when two or more prohibited single-use plastic products are supplied together, that would be treated as a single act of supply. Stakeholders giving evidence to the committee before Stage 2 had expressed concern about whether the definition of 'single use' in the Bill had the right effect when it came to products sold in a multipack, and this amendment would address that concern, it would help to clarify it. Its purpose is to tackle the multipack issue and to provide that, when a number of products are supplied to be consumed together, like a cup that's supplied with a lid and with a stirrer, or food that's supplied with cutlery, those products do fall under the scope of the Bill. That is the amendment—it will clarify that products contained in multipacks are covered by the offence in the Bill. And the amendment, it's hoped, would provide greater clarity to businesses so that they can have a fuller understanding of what amounts to a single, criminal act when they're supplying one or more prohibited product to a consumer at the same time. Diolch.