Environment Secretary George Eustice said in response to the ban: “Single-use plastics cause real devastation to the environment and this Government is firmly committed to tackling this issue head on.

“Our 5p charge on single-use plastic bags has successfully cut sales by 95 percent in the main supermarkets, we have banned microbeads, and we are building plans for a deposit return scheme to drive up the recycling of single-use drinks containers.

“The ban on straws, stirrers and cotton buds is just the next step in our battle against plastic pollution and our pledge to protect our ocean and the environment for future generations.”

“We are already a world-leader in this global effort. Our five-pence charge on single-use plastic bags has successfully cut sales by 95 percent in the main supermarkets, we have banned microbeads, and we are building plans for a deposit return scheme to drive up the recycling of single-use drinks containers.”