HC Deb 16 December 1999 vol 341 cc247-8W
Mr. Brake

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what the Government's target is for increasing the percentage of the total market for soil improvers and growing media supplied by non-peat material. [103021]

Ms Beverley Hughes

A target was set in MPG 13 "Guidelines for Peat Provision in England" of 40 per cent. of the total market requirements for soil improvers and growing media to be supplied by non-peat materials by 2005.

Mr. Brake

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what his Department's policy is on the purchase and use of peat for its own operations and activities; and what performance target his Department has set to reduce current peat use. [103024]

Ms Beverley Hughes

The Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions' policy on all slow renewables such as peat is to substitute them with organic waste such as compost, manure, leaf mould, bark chipping and coir. This policy is included in the DETR Greening Operations Policy Statement.

Mr. Brake

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what percentage of the total market for soil improvers and growing media was supplied by non-peat material in 1998. [103022]

Ms Beverley Hughes

Non-peat materials accounted for 32 per cent. of the total market in 1998.

Mr. Brake

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will place in the Library a copy of the recent report of his Department's peat working group.[103025]

Ms Beverley Hughes

Three copies were placed in the Library on 1 December 1999.

Mr. Brake

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if the Government are on track in meeting their target for increasing the amount of non-peat material sold as soil improvers and growing media. [103023]

Ms Beverley Hughes

There has been a slow but steady increase in the proportion of non-peat material used as soil improvers and growing media. In 1993, 28 per cent. of the total market was met by non-peat materials. This increased to 29 per cent. in 1997 and 32 per cent. in 1998. The report of the Working Group on Peat Extraction and Related Matters published last month identified short-term measures which could be taken to increase the rate of uptake of non-peat materials. If the producers and retailers of growing media respond in the matters of labelling, dilution and developing performance standards for peat and alternatives, I am confident we have a good chance of meeting this target.