draft Deposit Scheme for Drinks Containers (England and Northern Ireland) Regulations 2024
352
Ayes
—
75
Noes
Passed · Government won
220 did not vote
Analysis
Commons
Commons
Parliament voted on 21 January 2025 to approve the draft Deposit Scheme for Drinks Containers (England and Northern Ireland) Regulations 2024, passing the measure by 352 votes to 75. The regulations establish a deposit return scheme (DRS) under which consumers pay a small deposit when purchasing drinks in eligible bottles and cans, which is refunded when the empty container is returned to a designated collection point. The scheme applies to England and Northern Ireland. The vote advances a long-discussed environmental policy designed to increase recycling rates for single-use drinks containers and reduce plastic and aluminium waste in the environment. Retailers and producers will be required to participate in the scheme, creating a new infrastructure for container collection across England and Northern Ireland. Consumers who return their containers recover their deposit in full, creating a direct financial incentive to recycle rather than discard. The division followed clear party lines. All 336 Labour and Labour and Co-operative MPs who voted backed the scheme, while all 66 voting Conservatives opposed it, joined by all five Democratic Unionist Party members, two Reform UK MPs, and a small number of independents. The Green Party's three voting members supported the scheme. There were no notable cross-party rebellions. The vote sits within a broader pattern of the Labour government advancing environmental legislation in its first parliamentary session, alongside related activity on water quality through the Water (Special Measures) Bill in the same period.
Voting Aye meant
Support introducing a deposit return scheme to boost recycling rates and reduce plastic and can litter
Voting No meant
Oppose the deposit return scheme, likely citing concerns about costs to businesses, consumers, or the scheme's design
427 voting MPs. Each dot is one vote; left-to-right by party. Grey dots in the centre are the 220 who did not vote.
Aye
No
Absent
Labour PartyWhipped Aye
300
0
62
Conservative and Unionist PartyWhipped No
0
66
50
Liberal Democrats
1
0
71
Labour and Co-operative PartyWhipped Aye
36
0
6
Independent
8
3
3
Scottish National Party
0
0
9
Reform UK
0
2
5
Sinn Féin
0
0
7
Democratic Unionist PartyWhipped No
0
5
—
Green Party of England and WalesWhipped Aye
3
0
1
Plaid Cymru
0
0
4
Social Democratic and Labour Party
1
0
1
Alliance Party of Northern Ireland
1
0
—
Speaker
0
0
1
Traditional Unionist Voice
1
0
—
Ulster Unionist Party
1
0
—
Your Party
1
0
—
Strong advocate for the scheme as overdue environmental reform that will reduce litter, support 21,000 green jobs, and deliver £10bn in recycling investment; scheme is evidence-based, well-tested internationally, and places obligations on producers not consumers.Labour · Voted aye · Read full speech (4,697 words) →
Opposed on grounds of timing and cost; argues the scheme imposes £288m annual net cost on business during an economic crisis created by Labour's Budget; notes Conservatives have strong recycling record and previous DRS commitment but circumstances have changed.Conservative · Voted no · Read full speech (1,855 words) →
Sympathetic to recycling goals but concerned about lack of Northern Ireland Assembly input, unclear government coordination with DAERA, and interoperability challenges with different Republic of Ireland scheme; seeks clarification on stakeholder engagement.DUP · Voted no · Read full speech (942 words) →
Supportive but emphasises need for bipartisan environmental approach; credits previous Conservative Environment Act 2021 but warns government action is insufficient to meet 2042 targets; calls for faster, more comprehensive circular economy measures.Labour · Voted aye · Read full speech (751 words) →
Welcoming but conditional; advocates for joined-up UK scheme, additional Environment Agency funding, small business support, and warns of risks to local authority revenue from lost recyclable material sales.Liberal Democrat · Voted no_vote_recorded · Read full speech (752 words) →
Cautiously supportive but deeply concerned about glass sector impacts; questions high EPR fees (£240/tonne vs Germany's €28), requests clarification on imported glass liability, and warns DRS exclusion of glass harms UK manufacturers.Labour · Voted aye · Read full speech (1,043 words) →
Welcoming but disappointed by glass exclusion; notes 46 of 50 global schemes include glass and argues glass exclusion is a missed opportunity; requests government work with Welsh Government on including glass.Green · Voted aye · Read full speech (301 words) →
Supportive in principle but argues for inclusion of glass, which is dangerous litter; warns glass exclusion risks unintended consequences like shift to heavier goods and increased carbon; calls for UK-wide consistency.Liberal Democrat · Voted aye · Read full speech (719 words) →
Sources
Division dataUK Parliament Votes API
DebateHansard · Commons
Stance analysisAI analysis · Claude 4.x
LicenceOpen Parliament Licence v3.0