Select Committee · Work and Pensions Committee

Health and Safety Executive’s approach to asbestos management

Status: Closed Opened: 9 Jul 2021 Closed: 21 Oct 2022 14 recommendations 13 conclusions 1 report

This inquiry looked at how the Health and Safety Executive manages the continued presence of asbestos in buildings. The Committee found out about the current risks posed by asbestos in the workplace, the groups of people who are most affected, and how well the current laws and regulations for the management of asbestos are working. … Show more

Clear

Reports

1 report
Title HC No. Published Items Response
Sixth Report - The Health and Safety Executive’s approach t… HC 560 21 Apr 2022 27 Responded

Recommendations & Conclusions

3 items
6 Recommendation Sixth Report - The Health and Safety Ex… Rejected

We also recommend that the Government investigates opportunities to improve the occupational information recorded on...

We also recommend that the Government investigates opportunities to improve the occupational information recorded on death certificates. (Paragraph 32) A strategic approach to asbestos management

Government response AI summary
The Government does not recommend collecting additional occupational information through death registration, citing challenges, potential bias, and the need for collaboration with other departments, stating this approach is not recommended.
Read full response →
Department for Work and Pensions
10 Recommendation Sixth Report - The Health and Safety Ex… Rejected

We recommend that a deadline now be set for the removal of asbestos from non-...

We recommend that a deadline now be set for the removal of asbestos from non- domestic buildings, within 40 years. The Government and HSE should develop and publish a strategic plan to achieve this, focusing on removing the highest risk asbestos first, and the early removal from the highest risk … Read more

Government response AI summary
The Government believes that GB currently has a mature and comprehensive plan to managing legacy asbestos risks and is concerned that moving to a fixed deadline for removal would increase the opportunity for exposure, stimulate poor removal and disposal practices, and significantly disrupt the use …
Read full response →
Department for Work and Pensions
16 Recommendation Sixth Report - The Health and Safety Ex… Rejected

We recommend that HSE works with others in government to develop a central digital register...

We recommend that HSE works with others in government to develop a central digital register of asbestos in non-domestic buildings, describing its location and type. In the first instance, the concept of a central register could be tested using asbestos data from public buildings such as schools and hospitals. In … Read more

Government response AI summary
HSE argues that a central register would duplicate existing requirements and would require significant resource from dutyholders and government, with no clear indicator that asbestos exposure risks would be improved.
Read full response →
Department for Work and Pensions

Oral evidence sessions

3 sessions
Date Witnesses
2 Feb 2022 Chloe Smith MP · Cabinet Office, Professor Andrew Curran · Health and Safety Executive, Sarah Albon · Health and Safety Executive View ↗
15 Dec 2021 Clare Gilham · London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Darren Evans · Asbestos Testing and Consulting, Asbestos Removal Contractors Association, Graham O’Mahony · UK Asbestos Training Association, Prof John Cherrie · Heriot Watt University, Prof Julian Peto · London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Prof Kevin Bampton · British Occupational Hygiene Society and the Faculty of Asbestos Assessment and Management, Ruth Wilkinson · Institution of Occupational Safety and Health View ↗
17 Nov 2021 Charles Pickles · The Airtight on Asbestos Campaign, Gill Reed · The Joint Union Asbestos Committee, Joanne Gordon · Asbestos Victims Support Groups’ Forum UK, Liz Darlison · Mesothelioma UK, Nicolas Bessot · Ministry of Labour, Employment and Integration, France, Prof. Alex Burdorf · Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, The Netherlands, Prof. Thomas Kuhlbusch · The Federal Institute for Occupational Hygiene and Health (BAuA), Germany, Tony Hood · Thompsons Solicitors View ↗

Who gave evidence

18 witnesses
WitnessOrganisationSessions
Charles Pickles · Asbestos campaigner The Airtight on Asbestos Campaign 1
Chloe Smith MP · Minister of State Cabinet Office 1
Clare Gilham · Assistant Professor London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine 1
Darren Evans · Management Committee Member Asbestos Testing and Consulting, Asbestos Removal Contractors Association 1
Gill Reed · Technical Adviser The Joint Union Asbestos Committee 1
Graham O’Mahony · Chair UK Asbestos Training Association 1
Joanne Gordon · Chair Asbestos Victims Support Groups’ Forum UK 1
Liz Darlison · Chief Executive Officer Mesothelioma UK 1
Nicolas Bessot · Head of the Office of Chemical, Physical, Biologi… Ministry of Labour, Employment and Integration, France 1
Prof John Cherrie · Emeritus Professor of Human Health Heriot Watt University 1
Prof Julian Peto · Professor of Epidemiology London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine 1
Prof Kevin Bampton · Chief Executive Officer British Occupational Hygiene Society and the Faculty of Asbestos Assessment and Management 1
Prof. Alex Burdorf · Head of Department of Public Health Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, The Netherlands 1
Prof. Thomas Kuhlbusch · Head of Hazardous Substances Management The Federal Institute for Occupational Hygiene and Health (BAuA), Germany 1
Professor Andrew Curran · Chief Scientific Adviser and Director of Research Health and Safety Executive 1
Ruth Wilkinson · Head of Health and Safety (Policy and Operations) Institution of Occupational Safety and Health 1
Sarah Albon · Chief Executive Health and Safety Executive 1
Tony Hood · National Head of Asbestos Strategy Thompsons Solicitors 1

Correspondence

1 letter
DateDirectionTitle
2 Mar 2022 Correspondence with the Health and Safety Executive related to their approach t…