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Dept for Transport Local Government and the Regions

Answer

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, pursuant to his answer of 10 January 2002, Official Report, column 986W, on asbestos, if he will give a breakdown of his estimate of the compliance cost of the proposed new duty to manage the risk from asbestos to include the (a) cost of replacement materials, (b) devaluation of property, (c) premature demolition of property affected, (d) cost of collection and disposal of asbestos cement, (e) replacement of blue asbestos water pipes and (f) legal costs. [39242] Dr. Whitehead: [holding answer 28 February 2002]: The Health and Safety Executive included the cost of the replacement materials in the estimated removal costs provided with the consultation document. The cost of replacement materials varies by type and location of asbestos. The research the Executive commissioned for the proposals indicates that reinstatement costs could be in the region of 35-45 per cent. of the calculated removal costs. On this basis total reinstatement costs would be between £230 million and £290 million for the asbestos that is actually removed as a result of the proposals. These reinstatement costs include labour costs. These costs were included in the original overall cost estimates. The Health and Safety Executive do not believe there will be any significant devaluation of property values following reinstatement if asbestos is removed or adequate management of asbestos remaining in place. Any on-going management costs are expected to be only a small fraction of annual building maintenance costs. The Health and Safety Executive do not expect these proposals in themselves to result in any premature demolition. Other factors, such as the overall desirability of the property, are likely to play a more significant role in any decision to demolish. Under existing legislation, an asbestos survey has to be undertaken and asbestos has to be removed under controlled conditions before a building is demolished. It is not possible to breakdown any cost by type of asbestos. Information on legal costs is not available.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

39242; 381 c96W

Session

2001-02

Subjects

Costs Devolution Asbestos Health hazards Hazardous substances Property Cement

Contains statistics

Yes

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk