§ Mr. SayeedTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations his Department has received regarding the EU prohibition on white asbestos. [35381]
§ Dr. WhiteheadI have been asked to reply.
There have been no formal representations received about the European Commission Directive 1999/77/EC, which requires the marketing, supply and use of white asbestos to be banned by 1 January 2005. However 153 representations were made on the consultation on the Asbestos Prohibitions (Amendment) Regulations 1999, which implemented the EC ban on white asbestos in the UK. Eight specific derogations were made in the regulations. Twenty-two requests for exemptions from the regulations have been received since they were made, of which thirteen were granted. All derogations and exemptions were granted because no suitable substitute to white asbestos existed.