The Queen - and her speech

[Philipnet]

In the Queen's Speech the government has announced its legislative agenda for the year ahead. There are 11 bills to be presented to Parliament over the next year and three that have been published in draft form.

I could repeat what's been plastered across the media, but perhaps a link will do: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-27693435

What I did find intriguing is the 5p tax on plastic bags http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/poli...ns-Speech.html . In Wales, apparently the same tax has reduced carrier bags given out by 75%.
But I reuse my plastic bags (and they fit neatly in my jeans pockets); I don't know what I'll be doing when this law comes in.


Is there anything in the queen's speech that you are looking forward to - or wonder why they are implementing it?

[Dirk Gently]

What I did find intriguing is the 5p tax on plastic bags http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/poli...ns-Speech.html . In Wales, apparently the same tax has reduced carrier bags given out by 75%.
But I reuse my plastic bags (and they fit neatly in my jeans pockets); I don't know what I'll be doing when this law comes in.

I assumed the tax was the cost charged to a person getting a new carrier bag in a shop. If you're reusing a bag you already have then surely you won't be paying anything?

[SiHart]

Does this mean I'll have to pay for bin bags now? Gasp!

[Stuart Wallis]

I've been paying for bin bags for years since the council stopped giving them to every household - now we have to track down shops that sell them. Recycling bags are free, but you have to be able to get to a council office or library that stocks them and collect them yourself. Heigh-ho...

[Dirk Gently]

We've never been given sacks for our wheelie bin. We've always had to buy them, which we do to stop the bin from smelling. And we have to buy recycling bags for our food bin.

[Philipnet]

Have we gone into the Twilight Land?

Or are people generally confused between plastic carrier bags and plastic bags for the bin?


Whilst you can use plastic carrier bags in a bin (as I think Si was referring to), it's generally a small bin .

I've always had to pay for plastic bags for the bin/bin bags/refuse sacks - or whatever you want to call them!

[Stuart Wallis]

Have we gone into the Twilight Land?

Or are people generally confused between plastic carrier bags and plastic bags for the bin?

You do know the average mental age of PS members, don't you?

[Perry Vale]

It's not a tax though, is it? It's a fee. I don't think it's a coincidence this was announced the same day that Tescos posted their worst results in years. This will bring in extra revenue for them, as I see it. It'll make bugger all difference to the planet in the grand scheme of things, and simply leave a bit more room in landfill for the rest of the plastic packaging you get on all the products you buy in the supermarket every time you visit.

As for the rest of the speech.....

Subject to the outcome of a consultation, developers will be able to run shale gas pipelines under people's land without their permission.

This is wrong. Fracking is a big con. It costs more to extract from the ground than what you get back, and does not lead to cheaper prices for consumers. Not to mention all the earthquakes it can cause, and health problems caused by all the chemicals used.