Baroness Parminter – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Parminter on 2015-10-19.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will publish the responses that were received following the letter sent by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Water, Forestry, Rural Affairs and Resource Management to all departments in March asking how each was addressing the timber procurement policy.

Lord Gardiner of Kimble

We have no plans to publish the responses from Permanent Secretaries to Defra officials; however, where appropriate, Departments have covered timber under their supply chain reporting under the Greening Government Commitments.

Defra officials and the Central Point of Expertise on Timber (CPET) have used the responses to the letter sent to 15 Departments, to inform facilitated discussions with Departments. These discussions provided targeted support for effective Timber Procurement Policy (TPP) reporting for managers and leaders, as well as an opportunity to share good practice. For example, a standard set of legal clauses has been developed (in line with guidance from Cabinet Office) for use in future construction procurement projects, to mandate compliance against the TPP and provide for appropriate evidence from the supply chain. Other Departments have Guidance Notes to support the TPP and have included CPET-recommended wording in technical specifications. CPET continue to train new procurers across Government, to ensure they understand how to implement the TPP. This week 30 staff from MoD are attending training.