HC Deb 31 July 1997 vol 299 c425W
Ms Walley

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what plans he has to introduce a waste minimisation strategy for his Department. [11571]

Mr. Hoon

As Green Minister for the Lord Chancellor's Department, I am currently revising the Department's environmental strategy and associated action plans. Waste minimisation will be one of the major elements within this strategy.

Ms Walley

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will make a statement on existing targets set to minimise waste within his Department. [11572]

Mr. Hoon

As Green Minister for the Lord Chancellor's Department, I am currently revising the Department's waste management procedures. The information gathered during this process will be used to measure progress in the reduction of levels of waste in due course.

Ms Walley

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will list the amount, and proportion, of paper recycled by his Department in each of the last five years. [11573]

Mr. Hoon

The information requested is not available. The Lord Chancellor's Department has 417 buildings, each with separate contracts for collection of confidential and ordinary waste. The information could not be determined without incurring disproportionate cost. As Green Minister for the Lord Chancellor's Department, I am currently reviewing the arrangements for collection of waste.

The existing arrangement is for confidential waste to be collected by specialist contractors. All other waste is collected through local authorities. Paper collected by our confidential waste contractors is either pulped prior to recycling or incinerated to produce electricity. I intend that all our paper waste should be disposed of in this way.