§ 2.52 p.m.
§ Baroness EMMET of AMBERLEYMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the value, for the most recent convenient period, of waste paper imported into the United Kingdom for pulping; and from which countries is it imported.
§ Lord WINTERBOTTOMMy Lords, in the first 10 months of 1976 imports of waste paper were valued at £4.7 million cif. Principal suppliers in order of importance by value were as follows: the United States, the Netherlands, Federal Republic of Germany, Irish Republic, and Sweden.
§ Baroness EMMET of AMBERLEYMy Lords, I thank the Minister for that Answer. Would he not agree that it would be a good way of saving some of the money we are borrowing from these countries if we organised our own waste paper and did not have to buy it from abroad?
§ Lord WINTERBOTTOMMy Lords, it is not a simple issue, oddly enough. Although we imported this amount of 520 waste paper, we did in fact export a substantial amount. If we take the 10 months in question, we imported £4.7 million worth, as I said, and exported £3.7 million worth. It is in this matter, oddly enough, a question of quality.
§ Lord BOWDENMy Lords, is it true that much of the paper we export to Germany is in fact secret documents which have been inadequately shredded before despatch?