Sustainable Timber Certification Standards

That the Parliament supports the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification scheme for sustainably produced timber; notes that this is the only certification scheme that is generally accepted by all stakeholders, including environment groups, as ensuring environmentally and socially responsible timber sourcing; further notes its concern that alternative certification schemes, including the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC) and Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI), represent a dilution of standards for sustainability as assessed by the Central Point for Expertise on Timber, established by the UK Government, and calls on the Scottish Executive to ensure that FSC certification remains the standard for public procurement in Scotland.