Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask His Majesty's Government what are the most recent statistics relating to claims for industrial injuries disablement benefit; and whether they intend to publish future statistics on a regular basis.
Answered by Viscount Younger of Leckie - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
In the latest full financial year for which data is available, 2021/22, there were 9,870[1] new claims[2] made to Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit[3]. 7,060 of these related to a prescribed disease and 2,820 of these related to a workplace accident.
In the first quarter of the 2022/23 financial year, April 2022 to June 2022, 2,620 new claims[4] were made to Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit[5]. 1,920 of these related to a prescribed disease and 700 of these related to a workplace accident.
Information on claims for Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit is published on a quarterly basis and can be found in the ‘IIDB Claims’ dataset on Stat-Xplore.
The latest release for this dataset was published on Tuesday 14th February 2023 at 09:30am containing data up to June 2022. The next release is scheduled for Tuesday 16th May 2023 at 09:30am.
You can log in or access Stat-Xplore as a guest user and, if needed, you can access guidance on how to extract the information required.
[1] All volumes are rounded to the nearest 10. Individual figures for accidents and prescribed diseases may not sum to overall totals due to rounding
[2] Claims that did not result in a payment are also included. There are a number of reasons why a claim might not result in payment. The claim is progressed through to assessment where a decision maker will decide if the claim is payable
[3] Excluding new claims for Reduced Earnings Allowance
[4] Claims that did not result in a payment are also included. There are a number of reasons why a claim might not result in payment. The claim is progressed through to assessment where a decision maker will decide if the claim is payable
[5] Excluding new claims for Reduced Earnings Allowance.
Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the case for reviewing the penalties for those found guilty of an offence under (1) the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012, and (2) other related legislation, including regulations 12, 38(1)(a) and 41(1)(a) of the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2016 and sections 33(1)(c), 33(6) and 157(1) of the Environmental Protection Act 1990.
Answered by Viscount Younger of Leckie - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) have advised prosecution is one of a range of enforcement options available to environmental and health and safety regulators, including withdrawing approvals, serving enforcement and fixed penalty notices, varying licenses conditions and providing written advice.
The law currently allows for an unlimited fine and imprisonment for those convicted of offences under health and safety regulations, fly-tipping and breaches of environmental permitting. No specific assessment has been made regarding whether a revision to these penalties is necessary, although the Regulators Code requires that all regulators keep their activities under review.
Sentencing is a matter for the independent courts who must follow the relevant guidelines issued by the independent Sentencing Council for England and Wales. The guidelines implement the requirements of Section 125 of the Sentencing Act, which requires that any fine imposed should reflect the seriousness of the offence and take into account the financial circumstances of the dutyholder. The level of fine should reflect the extent to which the offender fell below the required standard, and should meet the objectives of punishment, deterrence and the removal of gain derived through the commission of the offence, in a fair and proportionate way. The fine must be sufficiently substantial to have an economic impact that brings home, to both management and shareholders, the need to comply with health and safety legislation.
Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they intend for the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 to be retained under the Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Bill.
Answered by Viscount Younger of Leckie - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
With the introduction of the Retained EU Law (REUL) Bill, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) remains focused on ensuring that regulatory frameworks maintain the United Kingdom’s high standards of health and safety protection and continue to reduce burdens for business.
HSE’s approach aligns closely with the Government’s pledge to do more for business to help promote growth by removing disproportionate burdens and simplifying the regulatory landscape. Our standards of health and safety protections are among the highest in the world. HSE will continue to review its retained EU Law to seek opportunities to reduce business burdens and promote growth without reducing health and safety standards.
Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact on UK pension funds of the fall of the Hang Seng Index.
Answered by Baroness Stedman-Scott
UK pension schemes investment in Asian markets, and therefore exposure to the fall of the Hang Seng index, is low. Overall, our UK Pension schemes operate over very long timescales and have balanced and diversified investment strategies. They are therefore well placed to navigate any periods of volatility in global markets.
Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking, if any, to persuade Cape Industries Ltd to contribute to the funding of research on asbestos-related diseases.
Answered by Baroness Stedman-Scott
No steps have been taken: whether to contribute to the funding of research on asbestos-related diseases would be a matter for Cape Industries Ltd.
Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they take to ensure that the investment strategies of pension funds and other institutional investors take into account (1) crimes against humanity, and (2) genocide, as social risk factors.
Answered by Baroness Stedman-Scott
The Government has taken action to ensure that environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors are taken into account by institutional investors.
2018 changes to the Occupational Pension Schemes (Investment) Regulations require occupational pension schemes to have policies on financially material ESG factors and on stewardship of their investments. Trustees are also required to report annually on how these policies have been implemented. These policies may include considerations such as those set out in the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights and in relation to issues such as crimes against humanity and genocide.
There are also similar expectations on providers of contract-based pensions in respect of their pension investments. The Independent Governance Committees (IGCs) of these firms are expected to consider and report on their firm’s policies on ESG issues and stewardship for the products that the IGCs oversee.
The importance and growth of investing in line with ESG considerations is a focus area of the Asset Management Taskforce – a regular forum chaired by the Economic Secretary to the Treasury bringing together Government, industry, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and other stakeholders. On 24 November 2020, the Asset Management Taskforce published “Investing With Purpose: placing stewardship at the heart of sustainable growth”. This report’s clear recommendations, which apply across the investment chain, will further enhance the UK’s stewardship regime aim to ensure that asset managers are focused on delivering long-term, sustainable benefits for investors, the economy, the environment and society.
The UK Stewardship Code, which was strengthened in 2020, also sets out at Principle 7 the expectation that its investor signatories systematically integrate material social issues into stewardship and investment. Stewardship by asset owners and asset managers involves making informed decisions about where to invest, and proactive oversight of assets once invested. The FCA’s disclosure of commitment rule to the Stewardship Code, as well as rules promoting disclosure of asset managers’ engagement and investment strategies under Revised Shareholder Rights Directive (SRD II), holds asset managers accountable and promotes the importance of stewardship. Consistent with the FCA’s objective to make relevant markets function well, stewardship activities improve market quality and integrity, and help create sustainable, long-term value for clients and beneficiaries, while having wider economic, environmental and societal benefits.
The Government would also expect institutional investors to be monitoring risks to their investments posed by breaches of international human rights law.
We recognise that some investors have not focused on social factors as much as environmental factors such as climate change. The Department for Work and Pensions has therefore written to 40 large schemes to understand their current practices. It also intends to seek views on whether occupational pension schemes’ policies and practices on social risk factors are sufficiently robust and what the Government could do to ensure that trustees are able to meet their legal obligations in this respect.
Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they take to ensure that pension funds and other institutional investors comply with the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights
Answered by Baroness Stedman-Scott
The Government has taken action to ensure that environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors are taken into account by institutional investors.
2018 changes to the Occupational Pension Schemes (Investment) Regulations require occupational pension schemes to have policies on financially material ESG factors and on stewardship of their investments. Trustees are also required to report annually on how these policies have been implemented. These policies may include considerations such as those set out in the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights and in relation to issues such as crimes against humanity and genocide.
There are also similar expectations on providers of contract-based pensions in respect of their pension investments. The Independent Governance Committees (IGCs) of these firms are expected to consider and report on their firm’s policies on ESG issues and stewardship for the products that the IGCs oversee.
The importance and growth of investing in line with ESG considerations is a focus area of the Asset Management Taskforce – a regular forum chaired by the Economic Secretary to the Treasury bringing together Government, industry, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and other stakeholders. On 24 November 2020, the Asset Management Taskforce published “Investing With Purpose: placing stewardship at the heart of sustainable growth”. This report’s clear recommendations, which apply across the investment chain, will further enhance the UK’s stewardship regime aim to ensure that asset managers are focused on delivering long-term, sustainable benefits for investors, the economy, the environment and society.
The UK Stewardship Code, which was strengthened in 2020, also sets out at Principle 7 the expectation that its investor signatories systematically integrate material social issues into stewardship and investment. Stewardship by asset owners and asset managers involves making informed decisions about where to invest, and proactive oversight of assets once invested. The FCA’s disclosure of commitment rule to the Stewardship Code, as well as rules promoting disclosure of asset managers’ engagement and investment strategies under Revised Shareholder Rights Directive (SRD II), holds asset managers accountable and promotes the importance of stewardship. Consistent with the FCA’s objective to make relevant markets function well, stewardship activities improve market quality and integrity, and help create sustainable, long-term value for clients and beneficiaries, while having wider economic, environmental and societal benefits.
The Government would also expect institutional investors to be monitoring risks to their investments posed by breaches of international human rights law.
We recognise that some investors have not focused on social factors as much as environmental factors such as climate change. The Department for Work and Pensions has therefore written to 40 large schemes to understand their current practices. It also intends to seek views on whether occupational pension schemes’ policies and practices on social risk factors are sufficiently robust and what the Government could do to ensure that trustees are able to meet their legal obligations in this respect.
Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the report by the Oxford University Disability Law and Policy Project and the Bonavero Institute of Human Rights An Affront to Dignity, Inclusion and Equality, published on 2 July, in particular its recommendations (1) that all legislation passed during the COVID-19 pandemic should be reviewed to ensure that the duties under the Equality Act 2010 and the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities are met, and (2) that a COVID-19 disability inclusive response and recovery group should be established to ensure that disabled people are central in the decision making relating to economic and social recovery following the pandemic.
Answered by Baroness Stedman-Scott
The Government notes the recommendations in the report by Oxford University on “An Affront to Dignity, Inclusion and Equality”.
The Cabinet Office Disability Unit continues to work with disability stakeholders and across Government Departments to ensure that the needs of disabled people are considered in the UK Government’s response to COVID-19.
We are clear that consideration of equality impacts must be integral in all key policy decisions. All equality and discrimination laws and obligations continue to apply during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Government remains committed to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, and to the progressive realisation of the rights for disabled people that it sets out.
The National Strategy for Disabled People is a key manifesto commitment for this Government and its delivery remains important for ministers, including No. 10. Its significance is even greater, as we re-build the UK’s economy and society following the COVID-19 pandemic. We are now focusing on meaningful engagement with stakeholders, strengthening our evidence base and keeping momentum to deliver the high ambition strategy that the Prime Minister has called for.
Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what response they are making to the announcement by the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health that diseases as a result of exposure to asbestos are killing 5,000 people a year and that more than 130 companies or individuals have been ordered to stop work activities over the past year after being found to be non-compliant.
Answered by Baroness Buscombe
The Government welcomes the efforts by the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) to raise awareness of the health risks arising from workplace exposure to asbestos. The announcement by IOSH highlights the need for employers and employees to remain vigilant when undertaking work which may disturb asbestos. The Health and Safety Executive and Local Authority inspectors will continue to take action in cases of non-compliance with the law, as indicated in the IOSH announcement.
Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to mark the UN's World Down Syndrome Day on 21 March; and what steps they are taking to ensure that people with Down syndrome have equal opportunities in all aspects of society.
Answered by Baroness Buscombe
The UK Government marked this year's World Down Syndrome Day by co-sponsoring and participating in a key side event called "Leave no one behind" at the 21st Session of the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in Geneva. The event's theme was “Ensuring all persons with Down Syndrome can access meaningful employment and an adequate standard of living on a full and equal basis with others.”
The Government is fully committed to its vision - to create a society that works for everyone, where all can participate fully and be included. Therefore, Government Departments have invested in a range of programmes and initiatives to ensure that disabled people including persons with Down Syndrome are not left behind in all aspects of society such as in employment, education, health, housing, transport and sport.