Refurbishment (Hansard, 19 April 2002)

§ Mr. Peter Ainsworth
To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will place in the Library the certificates showing that timber used for replacement doors and windows in the refurbishment of the Cabinet Office has been certified as coming from sustainable sources. [51417]

The Deputy Prime Minister and First Secretary of State
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given today by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary at column 1251.
My Department is currently, with Balfour Beatty, undertaking a full investigation and will report back to the House.

§ Llew Smith
To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what his policy is on the use of wood from sustainable sources in the refurbishment of the Cabinet Office. [49490]

§ The Deputy Prime Minister
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given today by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary at column 1251.
1251W
My Department is currently, with Balfour Beatty, undertaking a full investigation and will report back to the House.

§ Ms Walley
To ask the Deputy Prime Minister (1) what organisation or company provided the certification for the doors and windows for the refurbishment of the Ripley and Kirkland buildings to show that they were produced from sustainably managed sources; and if he will place a copy of these certificates in the Library; [41345]
(2) who provided, or is providing, the (a) windows and (b) doors for the refurbishment of the Ripley and Kirkland buildings. [41346]

The Deputy Prime Minister and First Secretary of State
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given today by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary at column 1251W.
My Department is currently, with Balfour Beatty, undertaking a full investigation and will report back to the House.

§ Ms Walley
To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, (1) how much has been spent on timber for the refurbishment of the Ripley and Kirkland building; [35686]
(2) how much certified timber has been used in the refurbishment of the Ripley and Kirkland building; and what proportion of the total timber purchased for this refurbishment this represents: [35685]
(3) what action was taken by his Department to ensure that timber procured for the refurbishment of the Ripley and Kirkland building was sourced (a) sustainably and (b) legally. [35684]

§ Mr. Leslie
[pursuant to the answer I gave on 14 February, column 558]: I regret to say that the information I provided was incorrect. The contract used with the main contractor for the refurbishment of 22 Whitehall (comprising the Ripley and Kirkland Buildings) did not specify that all timber should be supplied from certifiable sustainably managed sources upon which certificates are to be made available. The contract does require that timber for the doors and door frames in the Ripley Building should be "supplied from a certified renewable source. Certificates to be provided." The contract did not specify the source of any other timber to be used in the buildings.
I provided the original answer to the House in good faith on the basis of information provided to Cabinet Office officials. I am grateful to my hon. friend the Member for Stoke-on-Trent, North for her interest in this matter. As a result of her investigations, we are currently, with Balfour Beatty, undertaking a full investigation in to all circumstances surrounding this matter and will report back to the House.