Calls for a National Asbestos Strategy at Labour Party Conference
- Airtight on Asbestos
- Oct 1
- 2 min read
This week at Labour Party Conference, campaigners, health experts and union leaders made an impassioned case for a national strategy to tackle the UK’s asbestos legacy. A ResPublica fringe event sponsored by Asbestos Information CIC, and chaired by the British Safety Council, called for immediate action to remove the deadly threat of asbestos from UK buildings.
Peter McGettrick, Chair of the British Safety Council, opened the session by highlighting the scale of the challenge: asbestos remains present in public buildings and workplaces, including schools and hospitals, but also in homes. He warned that new risks are emerging as buildings are retrofitted for net zero.
John Richards, Director of Asbestos Information CIC, presented data showing the scale of the problem, with analysis of over 7 million asbestos records from 300,000 properties. His team has demonstrated the feasibility of a central asbestos database, modelled on the Energy Performance Certificate system. Richards argued: “We cannot have the next 50 years based on ill-judged decisions that haven’t been data-led.”
Sir Stephen Timms MP, Minister of State for Social Security and Disability, acknowledged slow progress since chairing the 2022 Work and Pensions Select Committee inquiry. He announced plans for a one-off asbestos census, starting with the public estate, to build the evidence base for eventual removal. He also confirmed HSE will publish a new research plan before the end of the year, addressing epidemiological data, high-risk areas and regulatory reform.
For Liz Darlison MBE, CEO of Mesothelioma UK, the discussion was personal. In an emotional address she described asbestos deaths as an avoidable epidemic, and a “national disgrace”. Liz stated that “Over 40,000 people have died of mesothelioma since 2004. This is a preventable disease, and yet thousands are dying every year.” She called for a national taskforce, more funding for specialist nurses, and equitable access to benefits and compensation, including for veterans.
Sarah Kilpatrick, President of the National Education Union, stressed the particular risks in schools, where around 80% still contain asbestos. “A single fibre breathed in can cause mesothelioma years later,” she said, urging government to adopt a 40-year phased removal strategy and reminding the audience that children, being more vulnerable, face the greatest risk.
Contributions from the floor underlined frustrations about fragmented responsibility, underfunded surveys, and inadequate regulation. Some criticised the government’s proposed census as a “cop-out” compared to a live database, urging the government to work with Asbestos CIC and to utilise their data.
The panel agreed on the urgency of action and the need to move forward with a data-led removal strategy. As John Richards asked, "Is it possible to understand how we manage asbestos in the future when we have no idea of the extent of the problem?"
Liz Darlison concluded: “People are dying now. We need a plan, and we need to start.”
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