Vent just above floor level behind cooker - necessary? Potential absestos?

[alligatorlizard]

Am about to have a new cooker installed in a recently purchased house (1960's built) and have pulled out the old cooker to clean in preparation. Found a vent (see pic) just above floor level, which could definitely do with a good clean... It seems to lead to a vented brick in the wall outside.

2 questions:

1) Is this vent really necessary? Presumably it helps vent steam from back of oven (?) but could I just block it up - or better to leave it as is?

2) Is the material that the vent is made of something that could potentially contain asbestos?

Thanks!

 

[jj4091]

It should not be necasary if you have an extractor and another means of drawing air into the room ( open door or window) and it looks like it is made of a ceramic material to me but not asbestos