Written question asked by David Chaytor (Labour) on Wednesday, 17 June 1998, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 29 June 1998. It was answered by Angela Eagle (Labour) on Monday, 29 June 1998 on behalf of the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions.

Dept of the Environment Transport and the Regions

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what discussions he has had with representatives of the paper industry concerning the recycled contents of newsprint.

Answer: Mr. Chaytor: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what discussions he has had with representatives of the paper industry concerning the recycled contents of newsprint; and if he will make a statement. [46823] Angela Eagle: I met the Chief Executive and Company Secretary of Aylesford Newsprint on 12 January this year. My right hon. Friend the Minister for the Environment met representatives of the Newspaper Publishers Association on 9 February. We are committed to substantial increases in recycling, and are determined to see an increase in the amount of recycled newsprint used in newspapers. We shall shortly be receiving the interim report of the Newspaper Publishers Association's working group examining the factors governing the optimum recycled content of newspaper. We expect to see the industry setting themselves stringent targets, and we will work with them to achieve them. We have not however ruled out the possibility of introducing legislation ourselves, perhaps under existing powers.

Secondary information