HC Deb 08 March 2004 vol 418 cc1315-6W
Malcolm Bruce

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the buildings occupied by his staff. including agencies, which require(a) remedial work on and (b) the removal of asbestos; what that work will cost; what budgets are available for this work for (i) 2004 and (ii) 2005; and what budget is available for future asbestos surveys. [159366]

Mr. Rammell

Completed asbestos surveys of buildings occupied by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in the UK showed that no essential remedial or removal works were required. The next full survey is not due until 2012. In view of this no budget has been set aside for essential work.

None the less, budgets for interim local surveys during maintenance and project work will be allocated for 2004 and 2005. These are expected to be in the region of £20,000 pa for reactive maintenance, and £50,000 pa for project works.

Malcolm Bruce

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what proportion of buildings occupied by(a) staff of the Department and (b) staff of the Department's executive agencies have been surveyed for the purpose of identifying the presence of asbestos prior to implementation of the control of Asbestos at Work Regulations 2002. [159373]

Mr. Rammell

Almost all of the building space occupied by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in the UK was surveyed prior to the implementation of the Control of Asbestos at Work Regulations 2002. Surveys of the remaining space are due to be completed before May 2004.

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