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The Legacy of Cape Plc and the Case for Justice


The Legacy of Cape Plc (and Group companies), and the case for justice A report from the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Occupational Safety and Health public hearing, 24 March 2025.


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

Cross-Party MPs call for ban on contracts to major building firm, Altrad – and for asbestos removal programme


A new report, published today by a group of MPs and Lords, calls on the Government to begin a programme of safe asbestos removal.

It also calls for no new government contracts to be awarded to Altrad, an industrial services company and owner of the former asbestos manufacturer Cape.

The report follows a Parliamentary hearing, held by the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Occupational Safety and Health, in which a group of Labour, Conservative and Liberal Democrat MPs and peers heard evidence from a range of experts.

Britain has the highest rates of asbestos cancer in the world, with most schools and hospitals containing the carcinogen.

Focussed on the legacy of Cape Plc, once Britain’s largest asbestos manufacturer, the report lays bare the role the company played in exposing workers and covering up the risk.

The hearing heard powerful evidence from doctors, legal experts, victims’ advocates, and a former Director of Cape – now owned by Altrad – on how the company concealed the dangers of its asbestos products, including the widely-used and deadly Asbestolux.



Ian Lavery, Labour MP and Chair of the APPG, said:


“Cape’s deadly legacy has destroyed thousands of lives, and the company has yet to show real accountability. As the parent company, Altrad now carries that responsibility — and the government must stop turning a blind eye. It is completely unacceptable that Altrad continues to receive public contracts while failing to address the devastation caused by Cape’s asbestos products. The government must act now: no more contracts, no more excuses, until a meaningful contribution is made to mesothelioma research.”

 

John Glen, Conservative MP, and former Government Minister, said:

“As someone who has experienced the devastating loss of a loved one due to asbestos exposure at work, I know all too well the pain that families face. Mesothelioma is a cruel and entirely preventable disease. This report shines a vital light on the ongoing legacy of asbestos and the responsibility that companies like Cape must own up to. I fully support the call for Cape to contribute £10 million towards mesothelioma research — a step that could bring hope to those affected and help us move closer to finding effective treatments.”

 

Christine Jardine, Liberal Democrat MP, and hearing panellists, said:


 “Losing my mother to an asbestos related disease caused by asbestos exposure — showed me the true cost of inaction. No one should suffer or die from something that is entirely preventable. With one of the highest rates of asbestos-related cancers in the world, the UK cannot afford to delay any longer. I strongly support the report’s recommendation that the Government set out a national plan to remove asbestos from all public buildings. Its new Infrastructure Strategy must include this — our schools, hospitals and public spaces should be safe for everyone, now and in the future.”

The report supports the Asbestos Victims Support Groups Forum UK’s “Cape Must Pay” campaign, which calls on Cape/Altrad to donate £10 million to fund mesothelioma research. It highlights internal company documents—released after a hard-fought legal battle—that prove Cape suppressed critical health data to protect profits.

The APPG’s report urges the UK Government to:

  • End all government contracts with Cape/Altrad until payment is made.

  • Launch a national asbestos removal strategy, starting with schools and hospitals.

  • Back the £10 million donation to Asthma + Lung UK to support mesothelioma research.

The APPG will now write to ministers and request meetings to take the report’s recommendations forward.

 

 

Notes to editors: 

For media enquiries or to request interviews, please contact: Shelly Asquith, Secretariat, APPG on OSH sasquith@tuc.org.uk

Download the full report here: 

A report launch event will take place:  Room C, 1 Parliament Street, Palaces of Westminster, 15:00 - 16:00 on Tuesday 1st July

Notes on Altrad:

  • Altrad is located in more than 50 countries, and in 2022, it had annual revenues of over €3.8 billion. In 2024 it made €5.452 billion in revenue for the 2024 financial year.

  • In recent years, Altrad has been awarded multi-million pound contracts to undertake government-commissioned work by the UK Nuclear Decommissioning Authority, Magnox and Sellafield. 

  • Despite owning Cape Plc, one of the main producers of asbestos, Altrad is now awarded lucrative contracts to remove the material 

 

 

 

 
 
 

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