To ask the Assembly Commission what consideration has been given to removing plastic bottles from sale in the canteen in Parliament Buildings, and switching to more sustainable packaging.

The Assembly Commission is committed to being an exemplar organisation in terms of sustainability and works closely with its support services contractor, Sodexo, to achieve this.

As part of its continuing certification under ISO 14001:2015 (the International Standard for Environmental Management Systems), the Assembly Commission develops and monitors progress against a Continuous Improvement Plan for each year. The Plan for 2022-23 includes the commitment to “Continue to work towards phasing out single use plastics”.

That commitment is made in light of the Assembly Commission’s approach to sustainability of seeking to reduce the overall waste generated across all recycling streams rather than providing an alternative to fill the gap. However, it is worth noting the plastic bottles that are offered for sale within the catering outlets are all fully recyclable while cans are provided for some product lines.

Single use plastic containers and cutlery are being replaced with more sustainable and compostable alternatives. All pass holders in Parliament Buildings are actively encouraged to bring their own reusable bottles and cups to the restaurant or for takeaway use. Ceramic mugs, glasses and stainless-steel cutlery is available for use and jugs of water are provided at all meetings and events rather than bottles of water.

Further to this, the Assembly Commission uses a Department of Finance collaborative agreement to ensure that zero waste is sent to landfill from Parliament Buildings.

The Assembly Commission will continue to consider opportunities to improve its environmental performance in Parliament Buildings and specifically within the catering outlets.