Rowen warns of continuing use of asbestos

12.00.00am UTC (GMT +0000) Wed 13th Aug 2008

Speaking at the launch of a new book "Defending the Indefensible", co-authored by Geoffrey Tweedale, Rochdale MP Paul Rowen said: "Geoff's book and his research together with the ground breaking documentary by Yorkshire Television released 28 years ago reminds us of the deceit and deception practised that hid the effects of exposure to asbestos.

"Sadly today over 2000 people a year are dying of asbestos related diseases many of them in Rochdale. We will be living with this killer for many years to come.

"More startling however is the statistic that today nearly fifty years after mesotheleomia was first diagnosed as much asbestos is being sold as in 1960.

"The looms and carding machines once worked at the Spodden Valley factory by Rochdalians were sold to India and Pakistan and are now being used there.

"Despite asbestos bans in the UK and other developed countries workers in places like Pakistan, India and China are still using a mineral whose effects are lethal. We owe it to them that they should not suffer the death that many in Rochdale have suffered.

"I will be taking this up when Parliament resumes and hope to invite Geoffrey to the All-Party Asbestos Group to unveil his findings.

"It's ironic that this launch was in the same week that the full horror of mesothelioma hit home with the death of John MacDougall, the Labour MP for Glenrothes. The former oil rig construction yard worker underwent surgery at Guy's Hospital in London last year to try to treat the asbestos-related cancer mesothelioma."