Departmental Energy Policy

Mr. Jenkins
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans she has to make her Department carbon neutral.

Mr. Lammy
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport is committed to becoming carbon neutral by 2012. To fulfil this commitment we have developed an energy strategy supported by a detailed action plan. We are making full use of the refurbishment of our headquarters at Cockspur Street to reduce our carbon emissions. For example we are using light fittings that are 30-60 per cent. more efficient than the current fittings. The Department is supplied by 100 per cent. renewable energy supplied under the OGC Buying Solutions Energy Contract.

DCMS is working with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, the Department for Communities and Local Government and the Office for Climate Change to ensure that we offset any carbon emissions which we cannot reduce. We have devised a scheme to assist and advise our sponsored bodies to offset their emissions which we hope to launch early next year.