EXPOSURE TO ASBESTOS

That this House is aware that every year in the UK over 4,000 people die as a result of their past exposure to asbestos, deaths which are not confined to only those employed in industrial settings; notes that more than 75 per cent. of Britain's state schools contain asbestos, much of which is in a poorly maintained state, leaving some children, teachers and other staff in danger of being contaminated by this killer fibre; is therefore greatly alarmed by recent evidence which shows that morethan 100 people die of mesothelioma every year in the UK as a direct result of their exposure whilst they were at school; and commends the work of the All-Party Parliamentary Groupon Occupational Safety and Health which investigated the scale of the problem and published a report making clear and simple recommendations about how to prevent future exposure in these and other vulnerable surroundings.