Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make representations to the (a) World Health Organization and (b) International Agency for Research on Cancer on undertaking additional research on cancers caused by the ingestion of asbestos fibres through drinking water; and if he will make a statement.

a) The Drinking Water Inspectorate contacted the World Health Organisation (WHO) on the topic of asbestos arising in drinking water pipes in 2018 to establish if asbestos was to be included in the forward work programme for review. The WHO’s Guidelines for Drinking Water Quality Chemical Working Group had considered asbestos in 2014 and concluded that reassessment of asbestos was a low priority however WHO have stated that they will be looking at their priorities more formally in 2019 for the forthcoming 5^th edition of the Guidelines for Drinking Water Quality.

b) The International Agency for Research on Cancer is a subgroup of the WHO.