HC Deb 19 December 2001 vol 377 cc436-7W
Mr. Pike

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how often since 1988(a) the Health and Safety Executive and (b) other authorities to whom responsibility for enforcement of health and safety regulations has been transferred, have instigated formal enforcement actions where exposures to substances assigned control limits and maximum exposure limits have not exceeded the relevant limit but where exposures have not been further reduced to as low as was reasonably practicable; and if he will make a statement. [23880]

Dr. Whitehead

I have been asked to reply.

The Health and Safety Executive does not record information in this way. When it instigates enforcement action it does not differentiate between exposures that are within the relevant limits and those which have not been not further reduced to as low as reasonably practicable.

Mr. Pike

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how often since 1998 notifications with respect to work with asbestos have been lodged with the Health and Safety Executive where such work related to(a) materials containing crocidolite asbestos, (b) materials containing amosite asbestos and (c) materials containing chrysotile asbestos, but not crocidolite or amosite asbestos; and if he will make a statement. [23892]

Dr. Whitehead

I have been asked to reply.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) does not have this information as there is no legal requirement for notifications to differentiate between the various types of asbestos. The total number of notifications to work with asbestos received by HSE since 1998 is as follows:

Year Notifications
1998–99 9,619
1999–2000 20,240
2000–01 27,806