§ Mr. Simon HughesTo ask the Attorney-General who is the Minister responsible for considering the environmental implications of all of his Department's policies; when that person was appointed; what actions his Department has taken since the appointment of a responsible Minister; and if he will make a statement.
§ The Attorney-GeneralThe Government are again appointing a Minister within each Department to take particular responsibility for environmental aspects of that Department's policies and programmes. A list of nominated Ministers will be announced shortly.
The work of the legal secretariat to the Law Officers, the Treasury Solicitor's Department, the Crown Prosecution Service and Serious Fraud Office does not have direct environmental implications, but each of the Departments has taken steps in its purchasing, energy use, and waste management policies to promote good practice in relation to the environment. Each of the Departments uses recycled paper products wherever practicable. Low-energy light bulbs are in use at the Serious Fraud Office and are being fitted in the Treasury Solicitor's Department and legal secretariat to the Law Officers. In the Crown Prosecution Service a computerised estate management information system is being developed to include data on energy consumption and costs for all CPS buildings. In relation to energy use, each of the Departments is committed to taking part in the Government's campaign to achieve savings of 15 per cent. in the total energy bill for the Government estate over a five-year period.