§ Mr. BellinghamTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what estimate has been made of the numbers of employees in the wood panel and related industries who would lose their jobs if the wood panel industry fails. [125115]
§ Nigel GriffithsWe have made no estimate of the numbers of employees in the wood panel and related industries who might loose their jobs should the sector fail, but a recent study of the timber industry indicates that, of a total of 89,000 people employed in the timber sector, 7,000 are directly employed in wood panel and hoard production.