GOVERNMENT CLUELESS ON ILLEGAL TIMBER IMPORTS

12.00.00am UTC (GMT +0000) Fri 15th Aug 2003

The Government has no idea whether timber imported into the UK comes from illegal or unsustainable sources, despite claiming to care for the environment.

As the current heat wave shows further evidence of global climate change, Liberal Democrats will today call for a ban on the import of all illegally harvested timber, in a bid to end unsustainable deforestation.

In response to a Parliamentary Question from Sue Doughty MP, Liberal Democrat Shadow Environment Minister, the Government admitted it could not ensure that illegally logged timber does not enter the UK, as HM Customs and Excise do not record the timber's country of origin.

Sue Doughty MP said:

"Deforestation is having a devastating impact on the global climate. Yet the Government has failed to take effective action to combat the import of illegally harvested timber.

"Government statistics show the UK importing timber from places such as Vatican City, a country with no natural resources. We have no way of knowing if that timber has been legally and sustainably sourced.

"The longer we wait to take action against climate change, the more damage we will do. Legislation to ban the import of illegal timber must be put in place as a matter of urgency."