HC Deb 14 February 1989 vol 147 cc163-4W
Ms. Walley

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will make a statement on EEC initiatives for a chlorine-free paper industry.

Mr. Forth

I am not aware of any current EEC initiatives with this intent.

Ms. Ruddock

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (1) how may paper pulp mills in the United Kingdom use the Kraft process with chlorine bleaching;

(2) how many pulp mills in the United Kingdom use the sulphite process with chlorine bleaching;

(3) how many paper mills in the United Kingdom carry out further chlorine bleaching of imported paper pulp.

Mr. Forth

None.

Ms. Walley

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (1) what tonnage of paper pulp is imported into the United Kingdom annually;

(2) what is the percentage of paper pulp imported into the United Kingdom annually that is chlorine bleached.

Mr. Forth

Imports of paper pulp in 1988 were 2 million tonnes, of which 1.7 million tonnes (84 per cent.) were bleached or semi-bleached. It is not possible to identify what percentage of paper pulp is chlorine bleached.

Ms. Ruddock

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what figures are available to his Department on the amount of chlorine gas required to bleach one tonne of paper pulp.

Mr. Forth

This process is not undertaken in the United Kingdom.