Climate Change Policy

HC Deb 25 November 2002 vol 395 cc46-7W

Mr. Gray

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how often she has met the head of the agricultural departments of retail banks in the last 12 months; and how often her predecessor met the head of the agricultural departments of the retail banks. [81709]

Margaret Beckett

I met the heads of the agricultural departments of the retail banks in November 2001. I do not have information on when my predecessor met them.

Jane Griffiths

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what advice she issues to Government Departments to ensure that their purchasing decisions do not contravene the Government's Climate Change Policy. [81775]

Mr. Meacher

Guidance issued to procurement officials on minimising the purchase of substances with a high global warming potential includes:

(i) "Towards More Sustainable Construction: Green Guide for Managers on the Government Estate" (published April 1999). URL: development.gov.uk/sdig/improving/partg/suscon/index.htm.

(ii) The "Green Guide for Buyers" (revised February 2001) URL: development.gov.uk/sdig/improving/partf/greenbuy/index.htm.

(iii) "Green Public Private Partnerships", July 2002. A copy of this publication is on ODPM's web site. URL: www.odpm.qov.uk/about/ppp/greenppp/index.htm.