Select committee: Work and Pensions Committee
Conclusion 17
Sixth Report - The Health and Safety Executive’s approach to asbestos management
Published 21 Apr 2022
Paragraph 94
Addressed to Department for Work and Pensions
Work and Pensions Committee Health and Safety Executive’s approach to asbestos management All items in this report Report on parliament.uk ↗ Inquiry on parliament.uk ↗
Conclusion (the committee's words)
HSE has experienced significant cuts in government funding. Lower grant funding has been partly mitigated by the introduction of its fee for intervention ‘cost recovery’ model but this cannot be used to target inspections of licensed asbestos removal work. It is not surprising, therefore, that HSE’s asbestos enforcement activity has reduced in recent years. However, the scale of decline is remarkable when compared with HSE’s enforcement activity overall, despite no specific and compelling evidence that compliance with the asbestos regulations has improved dramatically during this time. HSE accepts that part of the recent reduction in asbestos enforcement work stems from having to divert experienced inspectors to support the training of new recruits which reduced capacity. It says that it expects to increase the number of asbestos inspections in 2022/23. This is welcome but needs to be sustained over the longer term, not least because fulfilment of the Government’s net zero ambitions presents considerable asbestos exposure risks as buildings are updated.
From: Work and Pensions Committee, Sixth Report - The Health and Safety Executive’s approach to asbestos management (HC 560), paragraph 94, 21 April 2022
Government response
The government responded to the whole report on 21 July 2022 (deadline 21 June 2022).
Summary written by Accountability Index from the government's response. It is not the government's own words.The government's response agrees with some recommendations in part, with HSE committing to targeted work in 2022/23, while the government declines a fixed removal deadline for asbestos and does not recommend changing the collection of occupational information on death certificates.
- On a central register of asbestos, HSE's evidence was that it would duplicate existing duty holder information "with no clear indicator that asbestos exposure risks would be improved". Instead, HSE "will develop targeted communications activity" on managing risks and sharing information.
- On a removal deadline, the government "remains concerned" that a fixed deadline "would increase the opportunity for exposure". It says it could only advocate proactive action if there is "compelling evidence", and that "At present this evidence is not there".
- On exposure limits, HSE says the science behind a lower limit "is not certain at this stage". It "will continue to monitor international developments", including "any change to the exposure limit in GB".
- HSE says it will carry out targeted inspections of GB workplaces during 2022/23 to check compliance with duties to inform those at risk of asbestos locations, including 'duty to manage' inspections in schools.