§ Mr. MorleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has discussed a scheme of certification of mahogany from sustainable sources to apply across all EC points of entry within the Council of Ministers.
§ Mr. Lennox-BoydThere is no reliable way at present of identifying timber imported from unsustainable sources. Well designed and implemented labelling schemes would enable consumer choice and provide the basis for implementation of import controls, but none exists at present. This view is widely shared by our EC partners. The Overseas Development Administration is supporting work on incentives for sustainable timber production, including labelling schemes, in co-operation with the timber trade and non-governmental organisations.
§ Mr. MorleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he has taken to identify bona fide producers of mahogany from properly managed sustainable forestry estates; and whether such producers are encouraged to mark and certify their timber as such.
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§ Mr. Lennox-BoydThere is at present no reliable means of identifying mahogany or other tropical timber produced from unsustainable sources, or of confirming the authenticity of timber marked or certified as such by producers. Effective identification of timber produced from sustainable sources depends on the introduction of sustainable forest management practices in producer countries and the development of reliable and practical labelling systems. The Overseas Development Administration is supporting both objectives through our forestry programmes and through support to reform of the International Tropical Timber Organisation, which brings together producers and consumers of tropical timber.