§ Mr. Martyn JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if she will list the ways in which her Department has demonstrated the ability to improve efficiency and competitiveness through an 663W environmental audit of waste management within those buildings her Department occupies; and if she will make a statement. [16429]
§ Mr. Robin SquireDepartmental waste management centres on internal monitoring of procedures; waste segregation and recycling—that is, white paper, newspaper, aluminium cans, cardboard, toner cartridges, redundant furniture and hazardous waste.
Castle View house, Runcorn is the only new building to come onto the Department's headquarters estate in recent years. Following its completion in 1992, a Building Research Establishment environmental assessment method was successfully completed in December 1993. DfEE HQ has set a waste minimisation target of 5 per cent. for the 1997–98 financial year. A cross-site working group has been set up to co-ordinate waste minimisation and encourage the use of the Environment Agency "DIY Environmental Checklist".