§ Mr. Oakesasked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the threshold limit in terms of fibres per millimetre laid down in respect of asbestos in the working atmosphere and what are the equivalent limits in each of the European Economic Community countries and the United States of America, from information available from international sources.
§ Mr. Dudley Smith:The threshold limit value for asbestos in the working atmosphere in Great Britain is two fibres per cubic centimetre, except that in the case of crocidolite asbestos the threshold limit value is 0.2 fibres per cubic centimetre.
We have no detailed information of threshold limit values in the European Economic Community countries. In the United States of America the threshold limit value published by the American Congress of Governmental Industrial Hygienists for all types of asbestos is five fibres per cubic centimetre.
§ Mr. Oakesasked the Secretary of State for Employment if he intends to take steps to lower the threshold limit of asbestos in the working atmosphere.
§ Mr. Dudley Smith:Not at the present time but the matter is kept constantly under review and one of the aims of the survey which was announced by my right hon. Friend on 21st December, last year, in reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Esher (Mr. Mather) is to provide a sound basis for future assessments of preventive measures.