Debate contribution: Carrier Bag Levy
Debate contribution by Mr Andrew Muir on .
- MLA
- Mr Andrew Muir
- Party at the time
- Alliance Party
- Date
- 9 March 2026
- Type
- Debate contribution (made as a minister)
- Business
- Oral Answers to Questions
- Heading
- Carrier Bag Levy
- Assembly identifier
- Official Report component 5453323
Read the official Assembly record
Text
Since the regulations for the carrier bag levy came into operation, in 2013, proceeds have totalled just over £79 million. The carrier bag levy has changed customer behaviour and led to a significant decrease in carrier bag use. It is estimated that the levy has resulted in approximately 2·6 billion fewer bags being in circulation. We have all seen significant environmental benefits since the introduction of the levy, including a reduction in litter and waste. We still need to do more to protect our environment from plastic pollution, reduce unnecessary waste and promote sustainability. My Department has taken action with the introduction of legislation to ban single-use vapes and wet wipes that contain plastic. Overarching targets and further actions on that are detailed in the draft 'Plastic Pollution Plan for Northern Ireland'. Work is continuing on the introduction of a deposit return scheme for single-use drinks containers, which will launch in Northern Ireland in October 2027. The revenue raised from the carrier bag levy has been used to fund additional environmental programmes and projects across Northern Ireland. DAERA officials are working to bring forward regulations to transpose the EU single-use plastics directive to Northern Ireland domestic law, which will remove the more commonly littered and unnecessary single-use plastic items from circulation.
211 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.
Assessment
Jev’s structured answers met the documented threshold for “not flagged”.
- Overall probability that the activity is being used to promote, exploit or escalate an identity-based controversy: 0.02 (flagging needs at least 0.70; at or below 0.30 is not flagged).
- None of the five culture-war criteria was met (each was below 0.60).
- Assessed as legitimate policy scrutiny (0.67).
- No identity-based framing was identified (1.00).
- The overall probability was at or below the not-flagging threshold.
This is an AI-generated assessment of the text, made against published criteria. It is not a finding of fact about the MLA or their intentions. The Assembly record itself is the fact.
Jev’s structured answers
| Question | Probability | Met? |
|---|---|---|
| Identity framing | 0.01 | No |
| Sectarian or communal antagonism | 0.01 | No |
| Cultural grievance politics | 0.01 | No |
| Dog-whistle messaging | 0.01 | No |
| Controversy escalation | 0.02 | No |
| Legitimate policy scrutiny | 0.67 | Yes |
| Overall judgement | 0.02 | At or below not-flagging threshold |
| Option | Probability |
|---|---|
| No identity-based framing (chosen) | 1.00 |
| Reports or questions it | 0.00 |
| Criticises or condemns it | 0.00 |
| Adopts it | 0.00 |
| Subject | Probability |
|---|---|
| No identity-related subject | 1.00 |
| Flags, emblems, symbols, names and memorials | 0.00 |
| Parades, bonfires and commemorations | 0.00 |
| Irish language, Ulster-Scots and language policy | 0.00 |
| Sport (including the GAA), the arts and cultural bodies | 0.00 |
Assessed 21 October 2026 at 15:05 UTC by jev-1.13.0 (requested as typesafe/jev) under rubric 2026.10-r9, methodology 1.9.
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