Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps he has taken to assess the risk of asbestos contamination in imported products from (a) China and (b) elsewhere.

The UK product safety regime places responsibilities on manufacturers and importers to assess any risks their products may pose and ensure consumer products, including imports, are safe before being placed on the market. No level of asbestos is permitted in consumer products in the UK and where non-compliant products have been identified the Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) and Local Authority Trading Standards, have acted quickly to ensure recalls are undertaken.