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A new All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for the Timber Industries has been set up, with more than 40 parliamentarians signed up already.
The group aims to help grow the use of timber and develop vibrant timber based industries.
Timber Industries contribute substantially to the UK Construction and Manufacturing Industries, providing around 150,000 jobs across the skills spectrum and adding value of c£20bn to the UK economy.
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.
The new APPG held its AGM on Tuesday 9 February 2016 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 ChairmanStephen Hepburn MP for Jarrow (Labour), Treasurer Steven Paterson MP for Stirling (SNP) and Secretary Stephen McPartland MP for Stevenage and Chair of the Furniture APPG (Conservatives).
Timber industries APPG Chairman Ian Paisley MP said: “I am delighted to have been elected by my colleagues in both Houses. I am looking forward to chairing this new group which has already received cross-party support in the Commons and the Lords. 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.”
Peter Hindle MBE Chairman of the Confederation of Timber Industries (CTI) said: “We are pleased that Ian and his fellow officers have put together a strong all-party group of parliamentary colleagues who will actively support the timber industries. We have been asked by Ian to provide the secretarial support for the group and are happy to provide assistance and information where we can.”
In total 42 parliamentarians (37 MPs and 5 peers) have already expressed an interest in the new APPG including 25 Conservatives, 9 Labour, 3 SNP, 2 DUP, 1 SDLP, 1 UUP and 1 Liberal Democrat. In total there are 32 parliamentarians from England, 4 from Northern Ireland, 4 from Scotland and 2 from Wales.
