9.—(1) The Single Use Carrier Bags Charge Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2013 (“the 2013 Regulations”) are amended as follows.
(2) For regulation 3 substitute—
3 In these Regulations “carrier bag” means a bag of any material supplied or designed for the purpose of enabling goods to be taken away or delivered.”.
(3) Except in regulation 1(1) (citation) and regulation 3 (meaning of “single use carrier bag”)—
(a)for “single use carrier bag” (whenever occurring) substitute “carrier bag”;
(b)for “single use carrier bags” (whenever occurring) substitute “carrier bags”.
(4) In regulation 6, for the words from “for the purpose” to the end substitute “at a place where goods are sold”.
(5) In paragraph 1 of Schedule 1 (exemptions)—
(a)in sub-paragraph (1), after head (k) add—
“(l)bags which are sold to customers for a price of not less than 20 pence each;
(m)multiple reuse plastic bags that are issued as free replacements for a corresponding number of worn out multiple reuse plastic bags.”;
(b)in sub-paragraph (3), after the definition of “medicinal product” insert—
““multiple reuse plastic bags” means bags which—
are made wholly or mainly from plastic;
have either maximum dimensions of 404 mm (both width and height) or a maximum dimension of 439 mm (either width or height);
are manufactured from material which is greater than 49 microns in thickness;
are purchased by the customer; and
when worn out are returnable to the seller from whom they were purchased to be replaced free of charge;”.
(6) This section comes into operation on 19th January 2015.
(7) Nothing in this section affects any power to amend or revoke the 2013 Regulations.