§ Mr. ReedTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he has taken to ensure that paper and timber products purchased by his Department come from a sustainable source. [110151]
§ Yvette CooperThe Department's Environmental Policy Statement and Environmental Strategy have been produced to ensure that sustainable development is a key factor in this Department's business. The Environmental Strategy supports the Department's aim to achieve best environmental practice with a commitment to conserve paper, wood and other resources and to purchase only timber products that come from sustainable sources. Environmental criteria are now contained as part of the 779W specification in tendering contracts and include a requirement that paper and timber products are from sustainable sources.
§ Mr. ReedTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will ensure that paper and timber products purchased by his Department are independently certified by the Forest Stewardship Council as coming from a sustainable source. [110152]
§ Yvette CooperThe Forest Stewardship Council label is accepted by our buyers as demonstrating that timber and timber products have come from sustainably managed sources but it is not practicable to require that all paper and timber products purchased by the Department are independently certified by the Forest Stewardship Council because this might discriminate against any equally valid schemes and therefore be against public procurement rules.