New parliamentary group for timber industries launched
10 February 2016A new All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for the Timber Industries has been created.
Industry umbrella group the Confederation of Timber Industries (CTI) announced that the APPG would aim to help grow the use of timber and develop vibrant timber based industries.
More than 40 parliamentarians have already registered as members of the APPG and its AGM was held on February 9 at the House of Commons.
Ian Paisley, MP for North Antrim, was elected as chairman. He now chairs an officers group including joint vice chairman and former minister Cheryl Gillan MP for Chesham and Amersham (Conservatives), joint vice chairman Stephen Hepburn MP for Jarrow (Labour), treasurer Steven Paterson MP for Stirling (SNP), secretary Stephen McPartland MP for Stevenage and chair of the Furniture APPG (Conservatives).
The APPG will help promote timber as the most sustainable and renewable building material and develop new economic measures to grow the whole timber industries supply chain.
The members of the new cross-party group also want to encourage more young people to choose a career in the timber industries.
“I am looking forward to chairing this new group which has already received cross-party support in the Commons and the Lords,” said timber industries APPG Chairman Ian Paisley.
“My colleagues will endeavour to promote the use of timber UK wide but will also look forward to hearing how they could support timber businesses in their constituencies in particular.”
The CTI has been asked to provide the secretarial support for the group and will assist it where possible.
