What advice has the Welsh Government received regarding the impact that the Internal Market Act would have if Wales’s deposit return scheme were not fully aligned with the rest of the UK, in light of the experience in Scotland?

Answered by Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs | Answered on 07/05/2024

There is a considerable risk of the Internal Market Act (IMA) being misused to seek to subjugate  policy in devolved areas, although, it  is notable that IMA  considerations did not feature in the UK Government’s decision to diverge from the common position across the UK.

The Welsh Government has been consistent in its opposition to the Act and our policy to include glass remains unchanged.   Our  continues to be for alignment across the UK.