HC Deb 04 December 2003 vol 415 c146W
Sue Doughty

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what measures are in place to ensure Government Departments buy recycled paper. [140595]

Mr. Morley

On 30 October the Government accepted the Sustainable Procurement Group recommendation for the immediate purchase ofCopying paper: 100 per cent. recycled content, with minimum 75 per cent. overall content being post-consumer waste; Paper for printed publications: minimum 60 per cent. recycled content, with 45 per cent. overall content being post-consumer waste; and Kitchen and toilet tissue: 100 per cent. recycled content.

Central Government already buys a considerable amount of recycled paper, through, for example the DfT Recycled Printing Papers Framework and the OGCbuying.solutions catalogues. Defra and the Office of Government Commerce recently published the revised "Joint Note on Environmental Issues in Purchasing", which provides guidance on sustainable procurement for non-specialists and guides them towards more sustainable purchases.

Government are currently developing sustainable procurement targets under the "Framework for Sustainable Development on the Government Estate". The targets and online guidance will be published by spring next year.

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