HC Deb 07 November 2002 vol 392 cc750-1W
Linda Perham

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) how many of the FTSE 350 companies have reported on the environmental and social implications of their activities since January; and what assessment she has made of the quality of these reports; [79054]

(2) what assessment she has made of the merits of companies' reportings of environmental and social impacts of their activities. [79056]

Miss Melanie Johnson

In July 2002, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs contacted all companies in the FTSE 350 to assess the number companies reporting on their environmental performance.

99 companies currently report on their environmental performance, including data on their key impacts. Of those 99 companies, 20 have produced their first report since December 2001. 140 companies make information on their environmental performance publicly available, but fall short of full reporting.

The General Guidelines on Environmental Reporting published in November 2001, suggests contents and key indicators for the quality of individual company environmental reports.

Linda Perham

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how the Government will ensure that its corporate policies on social and environmental responsibility of companies help meet its sustainable development targets. [79053]

Mr. Timms

The Government's approach on both Corporate Social Responsibility and Sustainable Development is subject to extensive inter-departmental co-ordination and co-operation. The teams in DTI supporting these processes are both located in the Department's Sustainable Development Unit with a unified management structure, ensuring a closely integrated approach on the Government's sustainable development and CSR objectives.

Linda Perham

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to the answer of the Prime Minister on 16 October 2002,Official Report, c. 310, what discussions her Department has held regarding social responsibility with (a) business and (b) groups representing civil society, the environment, labour standards and human rights and (c) other organisations. [79170]

Miss Melanie Johnson

The Department has consulted widely on Corporate Social Responsibility with a range of different stakeholders. A series of Ministerial Round Tables were held last year, and two further Round Tables took place in September with, respectively, business and groups representing civil society. In addition, Ministers and officials regularly meet representatives of the different interest groups bilaterally, as well as participating in meetings and events organised by them.