Vol. 420 No. 5
125 Mr. Cotter asked the Minister for Social Welfare the quantity of recycled paper used by his Department in 1991; if he will outline the percentage of all paper represented by this amount; if he will further outline the source of such paper; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Almost 17 million buff manilla envelopes and 1,200 boxes of toilet tissue derived from recycled paper were ordered by my Department from the Government Supplies Agency in 1991. The agency has indicated that the paper is imported and that it does not maintain records in such a way as to enable the precise source of supply to be given.
It is not possible to say what proportion of overall requirements this represents in volume terms. In cost terms, however, recycled paper amounted to some 11 per cent of the Department's total expenditure for printing and stationery in 1991.
The Department is committed to using recycled paper where quality, suitability and cost considerations allow. The Department has, however, high grade requirements for security reasons — e.g. for pension orders — which cannot be met by recycled paper and uses many machines such as laser printers and photo-copiers which will not operate reliably on such paper and which can be damaged if unsuitable paper is used.
126 Mr. Cotter asked the Minister for Labour the quantity of recycled paper used by his Department in 1991; if he will outline the percentage of all paper represented by this amount; if he will further outline the source of such paper; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
My Department did not use any recycled paper during 1991. I am currently having the possibility of using recycled paper investigated.
