HC Deb 04 July 2002 vol 388 cc545-6W
Sue Doughty

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what proportion of(a) paper and (b) other goods purchased by her Department was recycled paper in each year since 1997; what the annual total cost of these purchases was; what plans there are to increase these proportions; and if he will make a statement. [65766]

Clare Short

The following table shows my Department's costs for paper and paper products since 1997. The recycled element of the figures up to last year are for recycled paper only; other recycled products were obtained but were not separately recorded or identified. since May of this year, 98 per cent. of paper used by my London office is recycled and therefore this proportion will now increase significantly. Other recycled paper products, particularly envelopes where available, will be purchased in future. Further trials of recycled paper are currently being carried out in our East Kilbride office.

£
Cost of paper and paper products
1997 57,658 of which 199 was recycled paper only
1998 62,790 of which 235 was recycled paper only
1999 48,249 of which 99 was recycled paper only
2000 93,439 of which 2,179 was recycled paper only
2001 67,447 of which 1,289 was recycled paper only
2002 28,327 of which 2,527 was recycled paper only