Asked by: Catherine Fookes (Labour - Monmouthshire)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent assessment she has made of the potential merits of including long covid as an industrial illness for people working the NHS during the covid-19 pandemic.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is advised by the Industrial Injuries Advisory Council (IIAC), an independent scientific body, on changes to the list of occupational diseases for which Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit (IIDB) can be paid. IIAC's advice is limited to entitlement to benefits under the Industrial Injuries Scheme and does not cover the classification of ‘an industrial illness’ more widely.
In November 2022, IIAC published a Command Paper which recommended five severe post-COVID-19 complications should bring entitlement to IIDB for certain health and social care workers. In November 2024, IIAC published a further command paper which concluded that the 2022 recommendation should be extended to cover certain transport workers.
The Department is carrying out a detailed assessment of the recommendations in both reports and will respond in due course.
In its most recent command paper, IIAC concluded that there is currently insufficient evidence available to recommend prescription for further complications following COVID-19 infection, or for further occupations. IIAC will continue to keep the situation under review and monitor the evidence and available data.
Asked by: Catherine Fookes (Labour - Monmouthshire)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will meet with Auditory Verbal UK to discuss (a) barriers to opportunities and (b) improved outcomes for deaf children.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
There are no current plans to meet. However, I note that my colleague the Minister for Early Education has met with and visited Auditory Verbal UK to understand the work they are doing to improve the lives of deaf children.