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Solicitor-General

Answer

Mr. Gardiner: To ask the Solicitor-General by what means the Law Officers' Department's policy for purchasing timber and timber products ensures that they are obtained from legal and sustainable sources. [141337] The Solicitor-General: The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) does not purchase timber and timber products directly. Furniture and building refurbishments are the two areas where the CPS may purchase products containing timber. The CPS purchases furniture from framework contracts available from OGC buying solutions, whose products have been certified as being from legal and sustainable sources. For refurbishment work, the CPS engages its property managing agents to undertake a competitive tender using the National Building Specifications as part of standard specification, which includes the requirement to use certified timber. HM Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate (HMCPSI) is a small Department and it does not have a policy relating to procurement of timber or timber products. It does not purchase timber and purchase of timber products is limited to paper and occasional purchases of office furniture. The procurement policy for all goods and services is to use reliable suppliers of suitable products that offer good value for taxpayers' money. When Government policy exists in respect of specific types of goods or services then this is taken into account for contracts of material value. The SFO when purchasing timber and timber products requires suppliers to provide written verification that the products are from legal and sustainable sources. The Legal Secretariat to the Law Officers and the Treasury Solicitor's Department are not major consumers of timber or timber products but when timber is required, it is the Departments' policy to instruct contractors that it must be obtained lawfully only from sustainable sources, and to verify that this is done.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

141337; 416 c74-6W

Session

2003-04

Subjects

Government departments Procurement Timber Solicitor General

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk