§ Mr. Martyn JonesTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment his Department had made of the presence of(a) hazardous materials and (b) ozone-depleting substances within those buildings his Department occupies; and if he will make a statement. [16311]
§ Mr. BoswellThe Department is responsible for carrying out risk assessments under, among other things, the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1992, the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 1994, the Control of Asbestos at Work Regulations 1987 and the Control of Asbestos at Work (Amendment) Regulations 1992. All buildings have an asbestos register where its presence has been identified. As far as ozone depleting chemicals are concerned, surveys of fire fighting and cooling equipment have been carried out and the use of these substances has either ceased or is in the process of being phased out.