REDDITCH MP Rachel Maclean has spoken out after last night’s episode of David Attenborough’s Blue Planet II.
She said: “Like millions of people every week I have been tuning in on Sunday nights to watch Blue Planet II and I have been wowed and amazed at the breath-taking images of our beautiful oceans.
“The programme has though raised important questions about the impact human activity has had on our oceans and the damaging effects of plastic on marine life.
“As Sir David Attenborough quite rightly said “Never before have we had such an awareness of what we are doing to the planet and never before have we had the power to do something about that.”
“And this Conservative Government is taking action to protect our environment for future generations.
“A new UK Blue Belt of protected sites is being created in British waters and around the UK’s 14 Overseas Territories which will protect 150,000 rare seabirds.
“More than one million birds, and over 100,000 other sea mammals and turtles die every year from eating and getting tangled in plastic waste.
“This Government has taken action to reduce plastic waste. The 5p carrier bag charge has led to 9 billion fewer carrier bags in circulation, a drop of 83 per cent.
“The Government is also seeking views on a deposit scheme for drinks containers and issued a call for evidence on taxing and charging the most environmentally damaging, single-use plastics.
“And later this year, legislation will be introduced to implement a ban on microbeads in personal care products.
“I’m proud to be part of a Government which is a world-leader in improving the marine environment and one which recognises our responsibility to our natural environment.”
