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Dept for Culture Media and Sport

Answer

Mr. Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will ensure that paper and timber products purchased by his Department are independently certified by the Forest Stewardship Council as coming from a sustainable source. [110193] Mr. Chris Smith: The Forest Stewardship Council label is accepted by buyers as demonstrating that timber and timber products have come from sustainably managed sources. However, it is a voluntary scheme and there are other, equally valid verification schemes. Consequently, it is not practicable to require that all paper and timber products purchased by the Department are certified solely by the FSC because this might discriminate against other products and therefore be contrary to public procurement rules. It might also result in the Department failing to meet its full requirements as currently only a small proportion of timber products are FSC certified. The Department's Green Housekeeping Strategy includes as its first aim the conservation of energy, water, wood, paper and other resources, particularly those that are scarce or non-renewable. For timber products, the accompanying Action Plan requires the Department to: To purchase sustainably produced timber and timber products which, as far as possible, come from forests and plantations that have been independently verified as well managed with the trees grown and harvested in a way which maintains biodiversity, productivity and vitality and prevents harm to other eco-systems and any indigenous people or forest-dependent people; and to consider buying reclaimed or products made from reclaimed timber where cost effective and practicable to do so. For paper and paper products, the Action Plan requires the Department to: To use recycled paper containing 80 per cent. post consumer waste for all non-specialist printing, copying and stationery needs--specifying that the virgin pulp (if any) and the recycling process is chlorine free.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

345 c98-9W; 110193

Session

1999-00

Subjects

Environment protection Government departments Paper Sustainable development Timber Department for Culture, Media and Sport Forest products Forest Stewardship Council

Contains statistics

Yes