The government has been criticised for taking almost a year to respond to the Environmental Audit Committee’s (EAC) Buying Time for Forests: Timber Trade and Public Procurement report despite describing it as “an absolute priority”.
The EAC said that while it welcomed the government’s mainly positive response to the report – particularly the clarification on the interpretation of EU procurement rules and their application to sustainable procurement issues – it was dismayed at the length of time it took.
And, the EAC added, the timing of the arrival of the response was not without significance. The initial inquiry was partly stimulated by Greenpeace querying whether timber used in the Cabinet Office refurbishment was from legal and sustainable sources and the government’s response came the day before the EAC took evidence from the Home Office following similar concerns over the construction of its new headquarters.
In its response the government emphasised the favourable environmental profile of wood products from sustainable forests and said it intended that the special care required to procure them should not become a disadvantage in comparison with procurement of other materials.
In its reaction to the government response the Timber Trade Federation (TTF) commended the support for a central point of excellence to offer procurement officers advice and to prevent less environmentally friendly materials from being chosen.
The TTF also welcomed the government’s admission that creating and implementing a fair procurement policy was more challenging than anticipated and it will be calling on the government to exercise caution on its emphasis on the demand for independent verification of timber before the market is capable of responding.
