HC Deb 16 June 2003 vol 407 cc17-8W
Dr. Cable

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the actions his Department, its agencies and non-departmental public bodies are taking to comply with the requirements of the Control of Asbestos at Work Regulations 2002; whether he has made an estimate of the cost of compliance; and if he will make a statement. [117705]

Mr. Jamieson

The responsibility for taking action to comply with the requirements of the Control of Asbestos Work Regulations 2002 are delegated to the managers of the individual Property Centres within the Department. The action taken will depend on the nature of the property centres' occupancy of the buildings, whether or not asbestos has been found, where it is located and its quantity.

The Department's Headquarters building in London contains no asbestos but some has been identified in a number of buildings on the Agencies' estate. Where asbestos has been found its existence has been entered onto asbestos registers and specialist consultants or contractors handle its management or removal.

Information about estimates for the cost of compliance and asbestos in non-departmental public bodies is not available and to obtain this would involve disproportionate cost.