§ Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domerasked Her Majesty's Government:
What steps they are taking to set up an information resource on the Internet to offer advice on consumer products and more sustainable consumption choices. [HL4120]
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Lord Whitty)In its first report, the Advisory Committee on Consumer Products and the Environment Committee (ACCPE) presented the idea of setting up a new Internet information service, which could provide advice and guidance on the environmental impacts of products and the scope for making more sustainable consumption choices. It recommended that the Government should first commission work on the economic and technical feasibility of such a project, and the potential demand for the service. This has been done and the consultants' report is available on the DEFRA website, athttp:// www.defra.gov.uk.environment.consumerprod/accpe/research/index.htm. Having considered the details of this feasibility study, ACCPE has recently made recommendations (in its second report, Action for Greener Products: a toolbox for change, published in May) about the practicalities of piloting a new service. The Government are now preparing a pilot stage, with a view to full implementation if that is successful.