In November 2007 London Councils deposited a private Bill – the London Local Authorities (Shopping Bags Bill) – to Parliament. If passed, it will bring about a ban on single-use throwaway shopping bags (plastic and paper) in the capital. The more people that email their MP about a ban the greater chance the proposals have of being successful snd you can help by contacting your MP to show your support for the Bill.

Update: the Bill was withdrawn and the Government promised to take action if stores met a target of a 50% reduction in plastic bag use. In summer 2009 it was announced that the large supermarket chains had reduced use by 48%:

July 2009 - 346 million down, only 372 million to go! 
Leading supermarkets have narrowly missed a Government target to reduce carrier bag use by 50%. Last year, seven supermarket chains signed up to a voluntary scheme aimed at reducing the number of bags given out by 50%. In May 2006, 718 million bags were being given out, and figures released on July 17 show that by May 2009 the number had almost halved to 372 million, a reduction of 48%, but missing the target by 2%.
Towards a Plastic-Bag-Free Kingston comment: "Sorry to carp, but that still leaves an enormous 372 million - and that's just from these 7 supermarket chains  Does this mean that the promised ban or compulsion or levy on plastic bags will be introduced? We can but hope!" Click the heading for links to the national story.