HC Deb 10 December 2003 vol 415 cc474-5W
Mr. Gardiner

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions by what means the policy for purchasing timber and timber products of(a) the Department, (b) the Appeals Service, (c) the Child Support Agency, (d) JobCentre Plus and (e) the Pension Service ensures that they are obtained from legal and sustainable sources. [141343]

Maria Eagle

The Department's PFI Estates Partner—Land Securities Trillium—supplies the majority of timber products for the Department and all its executive agencies. They were made aware of the requirement to purchase timber from legal and sustainable sources in September 2000, by e-mail and during the regular progress meetings that are held between the Department and Land Securities Trillium.

Land Securities Trillium provide an annual report to the Department, giving information on all their suppliers, the type of timber product supplied and details of all supporting verification. This report is then subject to independent verification.

The roll out of the new Jobcentre Plus service means that there are some contracts for refurbishment of sites that are being let outside of the Department's main PFI estates contract. Details of the model contract specification were circulated to the relevant procurement team. A requirement for evidence of the sustainability of timber was included within all contracts. The Department is currently reviewing what evidence has been supplied to date.