§ Mr. CohenTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress has been made in the removal of asbestos from his Department's ships. [137692]
§ Dr. MoonieI refer my hon. Friend to the answer my hon. Friend, the Member for Liverpool, Walton (Mr. Kilfoyle), the then Under-Secretary of State for Defence, gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Greenock and Inverclyde (Dr. Godman) on 12 January 2000,Official Report, column 166W.
Good progress is being made on our ongoing 10 years programme to identify safe non-asbestos alternatives and introduce them into service at every opportunity including planned maintenance and refit periods. For example, we are currently trialling replacements in two particularly challenging areas: the ship propeller shaft brakes and high pressure steam system joints. If the trials are successful we shall fit replacements in a much earlier timescale than originally expected.
Progress on Ministry of Defence asbestos elimination measures, including those for Royal Navy ships, was presented to the Health and Safety Commission in May this year who fully endorsed the approach being taken.