Kier named as contractor using illegal timber on Houses of Parliament

Greenpeace has named Kier's Wallis as  the contractor using rainforest timber in the refurbishment of the Houses of Parliament.

According to a spokesman for Greenpeace, the contractor is using illegally logged timber from the rainforests of Papua New Guinea as plywood.

At least 2 tonnes of the wood is being employed to protect floors, stairs and walls while the press area of the building is being refitted.  Once used it goes straight on a skip.

According to Greenpeace spokesman, Pat Venditti: "This wood is being ripped out of the rainforests, sent to a mill in China, then sent to the UK for use once and then skipped."

He admitted that the origins of the wood are not obvious "although if we can find out, so can contractors," he said.

This is the fourth time that Greenpeace has revealed the Government is using illegal and unsustainable timber.  In 2001 prime minister Tony Blair promised this would not happen.

Currently government procurement accounts for around 20% of all the timber used in the UK.