§ LORD KENNETMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
§ The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will now require importers of asbestos to distinguish in their returns the more poisonous blue asbestos from the less poisonous white.
§ THE PARLIAMENTARY UNDERSECRETARY OF STATE, DEPARTMENT OF TRADE AND INDUSTRY (THE EARL OF LIMERICK)My Lords, this would not be justified in current circumstances. Trade sources indicate that imports have declined in recent years and it is believed that there were no imports of blue asbestos in 1971 or 1972.
§ LORD KENNETMy Lords, while it may be true that trade sources believe that there have been no imports, is it not still the case that the Government are relying on trade sources, and, with the best will in the world, trade sources cannot be sure? Would it not be better for the Government to make sure themselves by introducing this distinction into the import returns?
§ THE EARL OF LIMERICKMy Lords, I am doubtful whether statistics provide the right way to tackle this. I am hoping shortly to hold discussions with the industry so that we may consider these matters further.
§ LORD DAVIES of LEEKMy Lords, may I thank the noble Earl for the reply he has given. Can he tell the House whether enough publicity is being given to the incidence of asbestosis generally, and particularly about blue asbestos which causes malignancy? Is enough information supplied to the building 858 industry and other industries using new processes in asbestos?
§ THE EARL OF LIMERICKMy Lords, I think that is another question, and I will gladly look into it. It is fair to say that the application of the regulations has been sufficiently strict for us to have seen a great dwindling, and finally apparently the disappearance, of imports of this raw blue asbestos.
§ LORD KENNETMy Lords, is it not the case that now there is no longer any real need for blue asbestos in industry? If that is so, in the course of the discussions which the noble Earl has mentioned, will the Government look positively at the desirability of having a complete import ban on blue asbestos?
§ THE EARL OF LIMERICKMy Lords, a ban on the imports of raw blue asbestos could certainly form one subject of my discussions with industry.
§ LORD DAVIES OF LEEKMy Lords, without being tiresome, may I ask the noble Earl whether he is aware that asbestosis can affect even the wives of dockers working with asbestos on ships; and that when I was at the Ministry of Social Security we had many cases involving wives who were suffering from asbestosis of a malignant type simply as a result of washing the clothes of their husbands who were dockers working with asbestos?
§ THE EARL OF LIMERICKMy Lords, I will take note of what the noble Lord says.