HC Deb 05 February 1968 vol 758 cc12-3
17. Dame Joan Vickers

asked the Minister of Public Building and Works what will be the cost in 1968 of providing office furniture for senior civil servants; and whether this equipment will be made of British wood by British workmen.

Mr. Mellish

The Department is the purchasing agency for furniture for a wide range of organisations including United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority, hospitals, universities and the Armed Forces and supply furniture on repayment terms.

I expect to spend about £100,000 in 1968–69, and a good deal of this will be resold to these clients. All is made in this country; as much as possible is made of British wood, bearing in mind the limited supplies available.

Dame Joan Vickers

May I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether he would not agree that senior civil servants could give up having new furniture this year? Secondly, can he assure me that a lot of the furniture is manufactured by Remploy?

Mr. Mellish

I cannot answer about Remploy but I will certainly investigate it. My Department is a main purchasing agency. As to whether some of this is from Remploy I cannot say. With regard to the quality of the furniture for civil servants, I hope that they, like everyone else in this country, will realise the problem that now faces us.

Mrs. Renée Short

Could my right hon. Friend give an undertaking that he will consider purchasing some of this furniture through the prison industries?

Mr. Mellish

I will certainly look at that.

Mr. Scott-Hopkins

is the right hon. Gentleman aware that over 95 per cent. of the timber used in the country is imported? Would he do his best to see whether the Minister of Agriculture could do something quickly to put this situation right?

Mr. Mellish

I am advised that in specifying timbers we follow normal commercial practice. Recent purchases of oak have been British but this is not always possible as supplies of British oak are very limited.