Ministers admit mistake over 'unethical' timber

Police made 37 arrests during the Greenpeace protest

Timber from unsustainable sources was used in the refurbishment of Whitehall offices, the government has admitted.

Prime Minister Tony Blair said in April that claims by Greenpeace over the wood were "misconceived".

My understanding is that the timber that is being used is indeed certified as sustainable, so Greenpeace's campaign is misconceived

What Tony Blair said in April

But now the government has accepted that a "regrettable mistake" was made in using sapele wood from forests in central Africa in the work.

There is no independent certification of sustainability available for such timber, ministers now admit.

The refurbishment work on 22 projects sparked a protest in April by Greenpeace activists.

Police arrested 37 campaigners after they occupied parts of the Cabinet Office, seized doors and mounted scaffolding to attach banners to the outside of the building.

Other protesters stood outside with placards and banners bearing the slogan "ancient forest crime zone".

Timber for the 22 Whitehall project was not procured in line with the government's policy of seeking to procure timber from legal and sustainable sources

What trade minister Douglas Alexander said on Thursday

The case was taken up by Labour MP Joan Walley, a member of the Commons Environmental Audit Committee.

Admission

At the time, Mr Blair said in the Commons: "My understanding is that the timber that is being used is indeed certified as sustainable, so Greenpeace's campaign is misconceived."

But on Thursday, Trade minister Douglas Alexander admitted in a Commons reply that the use of the sapele wood was not in line with the government's policy of seeking to procure wood from legal and sustainable sources.

A spokesman for the Cabinet Office said a report had been published based on an investigation by the government and contractor Balfour Beatty.

He said: "The report sets out what went wrong and more importantly, what we are doing to put things right and make sure the same mistakes are not made again.

"Regrettable mistakes were made on both sides."

Confusion

He said the Cabinet Office had failed to update Balfour Beatty on new government guidelines.

The Cabinet Office was undergoing major refurbishment at time of protest

Balfour Beatty had not provided documentation or certification that the timber they procured was sourced from renewable forests or plantations, he added.

But the 300 doors in the Cabinet Office will not be replaced because officials say "it would be the least sustainable option".

Mr Alexander said the case had highlighted a significant level of confusion linked with the terminology used in connection with the specification of timber in contracts.

The government has set out a range of guidance on timber procurement and reviewed its existing contracts in an attempt to ensure the same mistake is not repeated.