evidence: This statistical report is updated annually and the published statistics relate to the carrier bag levy that commenced on 8 April 2013. The figures relate to the number of bags dispensed by retailers in Northern Ireland between 1 April 2022 and 31 March 2023 as notified to the Department by 30 June 2023. [...] - During the tenth year of operation, 65.0 million carrier bags were dispensed by retailers under the carrier bag levy in Northern Ireland. [...] 1. This is the tenth year of the carrier bag levy in Northern Ireland. These are the final official statistics for 2022/23. The statistics refer to all bags made of any material, not solely plastic bags. The Department intends to publish 2023/24 figures in August 2024. Reports from previous years can be accessed from the DAERA website.