§ Mr. ÖpikTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what programmes his Department has initiated since 1 May 1997 to explore the opportunities for wood recycling and to broaden the use of wood as a recyclable raw material. [33887]
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§ Angela EagleThe Government are keen to see an increase in the amount of waste which is recycled, and are exploring measures to increase collection of recyclable materials and to stimulate and develop the market for recycled goods generally. The Construction Directorate of my Department invests around £4.4 million in a programme of research and innovation aimed at improving the environmental performance of the construction industry and the industry's contribution to sustainable development. One of the initiatives in this area is directed at increasing the usage of renewable materials (mainly timber) in construction. As part of the programme my Department has recently started to fund a project in collaboration with industry which aims to encourage the adoption of best practice in wood residue management by the UK timber industry.