GOVERNMENT MUST DECLARE WAR ON ILLEGAL TIMBER - DOUGHTY

12.22.14pm BST (GMT +0100) Thu 5th Jun 2003

In Prime Minister Questions today, Sue Doughty MP, Liberal Democrat Environment Spokesperson, challenged the Government to keep its promise not to use illegal rain forest timber.

A Greenpeace investigation has found illegal plywood from Indonesian rain forests is being used at the construction site for the new Home Office HQ.

Sue Doughty MP said:

"The Government has broken the promise made by both the Prime Minister and the Environment Minister, Michael Meacher, not to use illegal timber from Indonesia. The Government's lack of action on the environment is now speaking far louder than its words."

"The Prime Minister is treating the issue with contempt by pleading ignorance and putting the blame on contractors. He tells us he is tough on crime, but he doesn't seem bothered that the Government is giving business to environmental criminals.

"It is high time the Prime Minister got up to speed and put the environment at the heart of Government."

ENDS

Notes to Editors

For further information on the Greenpeace report please contact the Greenpeace press office on 020 7865 8255.

There follows a transcript of the exchange between Sue Doughty MP and the Prime Minister.

Sue Doughty: Yet again, today, Greenpeace has highlighted the use by the Government of timber from unsustainable sources in the Home Office. Will the Prime Minster accept that the use of unsustainable timer must be stopped and accept the evidence of Greenpeace, declare war on the illegal use of timber and end the mass destruction of forests once and for all?

Tony Blair: Is this something to do with a fence around Marsham Street? I regret to say along with everything else I am not absolutely 100% up to speed with events around Marsham Street but the Home Secretary seems to be disputing rather vigorously the claim that has been made here. I think that if she doesn't mind I will have to look into that and drop her a line about it. But it may be that she'd have to take it up with the contractors rather than the Government.