§ Mr. Hefferasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what information he has as to the asbestos content, type and volume, of imported asbestos products.
§ Mr. TrippierInformation on the type and volume of imported asbestos products is broken down into HM Customs classifications is as shown, imports in each category for 1984 are given alongside.
Source: data corresponding to SITC/R2 Item 661.83 — articles of asbestos cement, cellulose fibre cement and the like (the great bulk of which is believed to be of asbestos cement).
* 1984 figures are provisional
Information on the number of imported asbestos products, and the asbestos content is not available.
§ Mr. Hefferasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what controls are imposed to ensure that imported asbestos products comply with safety regulations in the United Kingdom.
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§ Mr. TrippierThe only regulations at present in force are the Asbestos Regulations 1969 which are designed to safeguard those who work with asbestos. It is this group of people which faces the most serious risk. The Asbestos Regulations are enforced by the Factory Inspectorate. In addition, we shall be putting to Parliament shortly regulations prohibiting altogether the supply of blue and brown asbestos and prescribing warning labelling for white asbestos and products containing it. The new regulations will be enforced by local authority trading standards officers.
The Secretary of State for Employment will be putting to Parliament regulations prohibiting the import of blue and brown asbestos, the supply of blue and brown asbestos to the work place, and the use of blue and brown asbestos in manufacturing. These latter new regulations will be enforced by Her Majesty's Customs and Excise and the Factory Inspectorate. More generally, if we find that a product on sale to the public is unsafe, we can ban it under the Consumer Safety Act.