Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is undertaking with the Health and Safety Executive to help ensure that UK workplaces are asbestos-free.

In Great Britain, the regulatory framework for the control of asbestos exposure risks in workplaces is provided by the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 (CAR). These regulations are owned by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).

Under these regulations, HSE requires dutyholders to assess whether asbestos is present in their buildings, what condition it is in and whether it gives rise to a risk of exposure. The duty-holder must then draw up a plan to manage the risk associated with asbestos. Importantly, this must include removal of the asbestos if it cannot be safely managed where it remains in place. Dutyholders are also legally required to remove asbestos containing materials before major refurbishment or demolition work.

HSE provides extensive guidance on its website (HSE: Asbestos - health and safety in the workplace) to dutyholders to enable them to meet their legal duties and continues to carry out targeted inspection activity to support compliance.