Environment minister Michael Meacher has pledged to examine the possibility of setting up a new working party to oversee the development and future direction of timber procurement policy.
His promise was made at a recent meeting with the Timber Trade Federation (TTF) which covered issues including certification, sustainability, illegal logging, the climate change levy and packaging waste regulations.
Mr Meacher will look at the viability of bringing all the stakeholders together in the timber procurement process and the TTF’s role in developing the government’s public sector procurement policy could be expanded.
Meanwhile, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) has agreed in principle to second a DEFRA official to the TTF prior to the creation of the government’s centre of expertise on timber procurement. However, limitations on manpower and resources due to economies in the DEFRA budget could delay this.
The TTF will take part in a timber procurement conference later this year when specifiers, architects, procurement officials and the trade will discuss how to source timber legally and sustainably.
