The use of paper bags could soon grow across the UK following a parliament motion.

The use of paper bags could soon grow across the UK after a motion was tabled in parliament for the government to support a charge on plastic carriers.

In an early day motion, the Labour MP Sir Alan Meale called on the government to support a recent scheme put forward by the Campaign to Protect Rural England which would see a small charge made against plastic bags.

It is hoped that the Break the Bag Habit, which has also received backing from the Marine Conservation Society and Surfers Against Sewage, will discourage people from opting for plastic and therefore reduce litter.

The scheme could also see a reduction in general litter on the streets, with retailers and large stores urged to do more by Sir Alan.

In the motion he said these sorts of organisations "have to do better" while he noted how, in Wales and Ireland, where charges have already been put in place, there has been a 90 per cent fall in the usage of plastic bags.

Sir Alan said that around eight billion such bags were handed out in 2011 and it is causing a great deal of damage to the country's wildlife and natural scenery.

The motion states: "The British Retail Consortium recently accepted that such a strategy works, but that they also warned it would only continue to do so if the government were to indicate its support for such measures as a priority; and therefore calls on the government to support the campaign."

It concluded by calling on the government to force retailers to "a charge on all new single-use bags".

However, while the motion has received some support within the house, it has a long way to go before it is enshrined in law.

Indeed, many of these kinds of motions don't impact on the legislative programme.

It comes shortly after campaign group Transition Langport called for the town to be made into a plastic bag free zone.

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