§ Mr. CohenTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will institute a total ban on the use of all asbestos in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement. [33634]
§ Mr. ClappisonThe United Kingdom takes the view that prohibitions on the marketing and use of asbestos should be based on agreements within the European Union. The Asbestos (Prohibitions) Regulations 1992 and the Asbestos (Prohibitions) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1993 implement directive 91/659/EEC and prohibit the use of many forms of asbestos. Efforts will continue within the United Kingdom to find suitable alternatives to the remaining uses of asbestos, and to encourage the use of substitute products, but a total ban will not be instituted without EU agreement.
§ Mr. CohenTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what campaigns the Health and Safety Executive plans to instigate to warn of the dangers of asbestos dust. [33636]
§ Sir Paul BeresfordIn autumn this year, the Health and Safety Executive is planning to launch a campaign on managing asbestos in workplace buildings under the umbrella of the wider "Good Health is Good Business" campaign. This builds on HSE's asbestos awareness campaign which was launched in February 1995.
§ Mr. CohenTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what proposals he has brought forward for converted European Union action on asbestos; and if he will make a statement. [33629]
§ Mr. ClappisonThe United Kingdom has not brought forward any proposals for "concerted European Union action on asbestos", but our officials continue to play an active part in EU negotiations, and to promote awareness and understanding in EU discussion of asbestos issues.
§ Mr. CohenTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many licences for asbestos removal have been granted in each of the last 10 years; how many inspections relating to those with such licences have taken place in each year; and how many licences have been revoked each year. [33632]
§ Sir Paul BeresfordThe number of asbestos removal licences granted under the Asbestos (Licensing) Regulations 1983 in each of the last 10 years and the number of licences that have been revoked each year is given in the table.
The information in the table also shows the number of visits each year to companies or contractors licensed at that time under these regulations. 75W
Licences granted1 Licences revoked Visits Year Number Year Number Year Number 1985 1,588 1985 1 1985 2,709 1986 936 1986 2 1986 1,654 1987 487 1987 2 1987 941 1988 1,082 1988 1 1988 533 1989 483 1989 4 1989 677 1990 430 1990 0 1990 401 1991 483 1991 0 1991 385 1992 306 1992 0 1992 373 1993 288 1993 0 1993 399 1994 346 1994 3 1994 805 1995 276 1995 0 1995 735 1 Includes both new licences and renewals of existing licences.
§ Mr. CohenTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the total amount of asbestos used in the United Kingdom(a) last year and (b) over the past decade. [33633]
§ Mr. ClappisonThis information is not available in the required form. The use of asbestos may be estimated from import figures, although imported unmanufactured asbestos may be made into products which are subsequently exported. Therefore, an accurate figure for asbestos usage in the United Kingdom cannot be given. The figures for imports of unmanufactured asbestos which are available from 1987 to 1994 are listed in the table. No figures are yet available for imports last year.
Imports of unmanufactured asbestos into the United Kingdom from 1987 Year Import(thousand tonnes) 1987 23.7 1988 24.3 1989 19.7 1990 16.0 1991 11.2 1992 10.3 1993 9.7 1994 11.5
§ Mr. CohenTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many reports he has received relating to leaks in masks used in association with the removal of asbestos in the last three years; what research he has commissioned into achieving better standards for such masks; and if he will make a statement. [33635]
§ Sir Paul BeresfordI have received no such reports. However, the Health and Safety Executive has kept this matter under review and will shortly publish the results of research into the field performance of respirators used for asbestos removal work.
It is the responsibility of manufacturers of respiratory protective equipment to carry out research to improve the standards of their products.