I saw leading asbestos campaigner, Michael Lees, on Wednesday at the annual information/update seminar held under the auspices of the Asbestos Sub-Committee of The All Party Parliamentary Occupational Safety and Health Group.

Michael's wife, Gina, very sadly died from mesothelioma, several years ago, in her early 50s. She had been a primary school teacher in Devon. Following her untimely death, Michael was astounded to find out that Gina had been exposed to asbestos in some of the schools in which she had taught - for example, when hanging children's artwork from asbestos ceiling tiles or pinning pictures into asbestos boards on the walls of the classroom. Michael has since done a great deal of research and he is now possibly the UK's leading authority on the issue of asbestos in our schools.

Michael, together with Paul Rowen (a Lib Dem MP and former deputy head-teacher) and Mary Bousted (the General Secretary of the Association of Teachers & Lecturers) met Gordon Brown, at Downing Street, before coming to the asbestos seminar in the Boothroyd Room at Portcullis House.

They put forward 4 key proposals - very practical ideas - offering a constructive and workable way forward. One of the key points is assessing the risks (by means of a comprehensive audit) to the occupants of schools and, in particular, to the children. Young children are especially vulnerable because their lungs are not fully developed and the 'insult' from the asbestos fibres is that much greater.

Michael said that the Prime Minister had been very receptive and that, pleasingly, real progress was being made. However, it was pointed out, at the seminar, that priority seemed to have been given to the management of asbestos on the Parliamentary estate (i.e. controlling and eliminating the asbestos that is still present in the Palace of Westminster) and that it was too late for people like Gina Lees and Carole Hagedorn (a teacher and mesothelioma sufferer) who spoke very movingly about her own personal situation. Carole urged action not for herself but for the thousands of current pupils and staff in the country's many system-built ('CLASP') schools who are potentially at risk of contracting the disease.

Mary Bousted of the ATL pointed out that 1000 people had died in the USA as a consequence of being exposed to asbestos in schools and 90% were former pupils - a startling statistic.

In Western Australia, asbestos has been proactively removed from all of the state's schools in order to eliminate the risk of future harm.

We are seeing an increasing number of mesothelioma sufferers, some very young, who cannot recall being exposed to asbestos. I do wonder whether they, like Carole and Gina, have been exposed in educational establishments - whether as children or staff - without realising it.

It is the dust and fibres which are not visible to the naked eye which cause the damage, after all.