§ Ms ShipleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what guidance he provides for local authorities regarding their 755W procurement of timber and timber products which have been independently certified as originating from well-managed forests. [18009]
§ Dr. WhiteheadLocal authorities are independent and autonomous and responsible within the law for making their own decisions on procurement matters. It is for them to decide whether or not to procure timber and timber products which have been independently certified as originating from well-managed forests. In doing so they will need to have regard to the need to achieve value for money.
Central Government Departments were formally reminded of the Government's policy to procure timber and timber related products from sustainable and legal sources in a note dated 2 January 2001 issued jointly by HM Treasury and the then Department for the Environment, Transport and the Regions. Central Government have not given advice on this subject directly to other parts of the public sector but the Government's advice is widely available and can be adapted or adopted by other organisations.