Asked by: Imran Hussain (Labour - Bradford East)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of providing financial support to enable people on low incomes to buy healthy food.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
We are committed to supporting vulnerable households access healthy food. We support over 365,000 pregnant women and young children to buy healthy foods like milk or fruit through Healthy Start, provide Free School Meals to over 3 million children, are tripling investment in breakfast clubs to over £30 million, and last year invested over £200 million into the Holiday Activities and Food Programmes. We also continue to provide substantial funding to Local Authorities to support those most in need, and are extending the Household Support Fund (HSF) by a further year until March 2026, providing funding of £742 million in England. This will ensure low-income households can continue to access support towards the cost of essentials, such as food.
Asked by: Imran Hussain (Labour - Bradford East)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether he has (a) made an assessment of the potential impact of proposed reforms to Personal Independence Payment on the mental wellbeing of people who become ineligible as a result of those changes and (b) had recent discussions with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care on the adequacy of availability of Government-funded mental health services.
Answered by Mims Davies - Shadow Minister (Women)
Modernising Support for Independent Living: The Health and Disability Green Paper looks at different options to reshape the current welfare system so that we can provide better targeted support to those who need it most. We are considering these options through our 12-week consultation which was published on Monday 29 April and will close on Monday 22 July at 11:59pm. Further analysis of these options will consider potential impacts on claimants with different health conditions.
There will be no immediate changes to PIP, or to health assessments. All scheduled PIP assessments and payments will proceed as normal, and claimants should continue to engage as usual and provide any necessary information or updates regarding their circumstances.
The Government is committed to continuing to expand and transform NHS mental health care so that more people can access the support they need. The NHS forecasts that, between 2018/19 and 2023/24, spending on mental health services has increased by £4.7 billion in cash terms, compared to the target of £3.4 billion set out at the time of the NHS Long Term Plan. Of the key mental health commitments for the first 5-year period of the Plan, over half have been met, are on track to be met, or have exceeded their original target.
We encourage everyone to respond to the consultation which can be found here, so that we are able to hear from as many disabled people, people with health conditions, their representatives, and local stakeholders as possible on these important issues.
Asked by: Imran Hussain (Labour - Bradford East)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the proposals in the Health and Disability Green Paper on the finances of people with complex disabilities.
Answered by Mims Davies - Shadow Minister (Women)
We are looking at different options to reshape the current welfare system so that we can provide better targeted support to those who need it most. We are considering some of these options through our 12-week consultation which was published on Monday 29 April and will close on Monday 22 July at 11:59pm. Further analysis of these options will consider any potential financial impacts on claimants.
There will be no immediate changes to PIP, or to health assessments. All scheduled PIP assessments and payments will proceed as normal, and claimants should continue to engage as usual and provide any necessary information or updates regarding their circumstances.
We encourage everyone to respond to the consultation which can be found here, so that we are able to hear from as many disabled people, people with health conditions, their representatives, and local stakeholders as possible on these important issues
Asked by: Imran Hussain (Labour - Bradford East)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent estimate he has made of the proportion of disabled people who experience one-off extra costs as a result of their disability.
Answered by Mims Davies - Shadow Minister (Women)
No such estimates have been made
As of April 2024, the rate of inflation has slowed, and the Government has also implemented uprating to benefits to reflect increased costs. We also increased extra costs disability benefits by 10.1 per cent from April 2023 and by 6.7% from April 2024 in line with the Consumer Price Index.
For 2023/24 we estimate that nearly 60 per cent of individuals who received an extra costs disability benefit would have received the means-tested benefit Cost of Living Payments, worth up to £900. Over 85 per cent would have received either or both of the means-tested and the £300 Pensioner Cost of Living Payment.
An evaluation of the Cost of Living Payments is underway. This will seek to understand their effectiveness as a means of support for low-income and vulnerable household.
Asked by: Imran Hussain (Labour - Bradford East)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how his Department calculates the estimated cost of living for disabled people.
Answered by Mims Davies - Shadow Minister (Women)
No such estimates have been made
As of April 2024, the rate of inflation has slowed, and the Government has also implemented uprating to benefits to reflect increased costs. We also increased extra costs disability benefits by 10.1 per cent from April 2023 and by 6.7% from April 2024 in line with the Consumer Price Index.
For 2023/24 we estimate that nearly 60 per cent of individuals who received an extra costs disability benefit would have received the means-tested benefit Cost of Living Payments, worth up to £900. Over 85 per cent would have received either or both of the means-tested and the £300 Pensioner Cost of Living Payment.
An evaluation of the Cost of Living Payments is underway. This will seek to understand their effectiveness as a means of support for low-income and vulnerable household.
Asked by: Imran Hussain (Labour - Bradford East)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many inspections relating to asbestos the Health and Safety Executive conducted in each year since 2010.
Answered by Mims Davies - Shadow Minister (Women)
HSE grants licences to a small number of companies which carry out high risk types of asbestos work. HSE then visits a sample of these sites to ensure standards are met safely.
Historically HSE has only conducted inspections of organisations who hold a HSE granted asbestos
licence. Inspections of other, non-licenced work with asbestos such as cleaning up small quantities of asbestos-containing materials or drilling holes into asbestos insulating boards were not routinely recorded. Following the Work and Pensions Committee inquiry into HSE’s approach to asbestos management, non-licensed asbestos inspection activity will be recorded separately for 2023/24. Further information is available on HSE’s website here.
The table below show the number of inspections conducted by HSE of organisations holding an asbestos licence each year from 2010:
Year* | Number of inspections |
2010 - 2011 | 1873 |
2011 - 2012 | 1755 |
2012 - 2013 | 1522 |
2013 - 2014 | 1275 |
2014 - 2015 | 1065 |
2015 - 2016 | 1109 |
2016 - 2017 | 1028 |
2017 - 2018 | 1052 |
2018 - 2019 | 1001 |
2019 - 2020 | 907 |
2020 - 2021 | 893 |
2021 - 2022 | 870 |
2022 - 2023 | 882** |
*HSE Work Year from 1 April to 31 March - **Provisional
Since 2010, the number of license holders has reduced by 30% along with a 29% reduction in the jobs they carry out, consequently requiring less inspections. HSE also moved to a centralised, electronic system to facilitate improved targeting to asbestos inspections during this period ensuring the right number of inspections to each licensee.
Asked by: Imran Hussain (Labour - Bradford East)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will provide a breakdown of the number of people in the UK who have been diagnosed with asbestos-related diseases after exposure at work for each year since 2010.
Answered by Mims Davies - Shadow Minister (Women)
The number of people in the UK who have been diagnosed with asbestos-related diseases due to exposure at work is not available as the data is not captured in this way.
However, the Department for Work and Pensions and the Health and Safety Executive collect statistics for deaths and new cases assessed for Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit (IIDB) in Great Britain. These statistics can give an indication of the scale of annual new cases of asbestos-related disease, the majority of which are attributable to past exposures at work.
Asbestos-related diseases in Great Britain, deaths and new cases assessed for Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit (IIDB), 2010 onwards, Great Britain
| 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 |
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Mesothelioma, deaths | 2360 | 2312 | 2549 | 2560 | 2522 | 2547 | 2606 | 2541 | 2453 | 2404 | 2544 | N/A |
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Mesothelioma, new cases assessed for IIDB | 1895 | 1985 | 2125 | 2145 | 2215 | 2130 | 2170 | 2025 | 2230 | 2025 | 1910 | 1920 |
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Asbestosis, deaths | 414 | 429 | 464 | 483 | 436 | 468 | 502 | 519 | 507 | 499 | 530 | N/A |
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Asbestosis, new cases assessed for IIDB | 1015 | 725 | 980 | 900 | 985 | 1175 | 1050 | 955 | 950 | 905 | 275 | 675 |
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Asbestos-related lung cancer new cases assessed for IIDB | 305 | 315 | 250 | 285 | 285 | 305 | 240 | 180 | 200 | 240 | 185 | 180 |
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Pleural thickening, new cases assessed for IIDB | 505 | 440 | 460 | 430 | 425 | 430 | 370 | 450 | 540 | 510 | 185 | 460 |
Note. Figures for deaths in 2021 are not yet available since for some deaths there can be a substantial delay in their registration beyond the year in which the death occurred.
Asked by: Imran Hussain (Labour - Bradford East)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many employers have been fined for failing to protect their employees from asbestos exposure in each year since 2010.
Answered by Mims Davies - Shadow Minister (Women)
The risks from asbestos are to both employees and non-employees so the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) does not separate the two. Asbestos- specific offences may also be grouped together with other offences and prosecuted under the general provisions of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974. The numbers of fines imposed only under the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2006 and 2012 for each year from 2010 are set out below but other penalties are available and used by the courts:
Year* | Number of fines |
2010 - 2011 | 20 |
2011 - 2012 | 21 |
2012 - 2013 | 21 |
2013 - 2014 | 15 |
2014 - 2015 | 13 |
2015 - 2016 | 20 |
2016 - 2017 | 5 |
2017 - 2018 | 11 |
2018 - 2019 | 16 |
2019 - 2020 | 7 |
2020 - 2021 | 0 |
2021 - 2022 | 4 |
2022 - 2023 | 2 |
Asked by: Imran Hussain (Labour - Bradford East)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if their Department will publish an Ethnicity Pay Gap Report for financial year 2023-24 in line with the Ethnicity Pay Gap reporting guidance for employers published on 17 April 2023.
Answered by Mims Davies - Shadow Minister (Women)
We are currently considering the best way to approach Ethnicity Pay Gap reporting in the Civil Service.
DWP is working with Civil Service HR colleagues and other government departments to work through the details of the Ethnicity Pay Gap reporting guidance that was published on 17 April 2023.
In line with Gender Pay Gap Reporting, the Civil Service is looking to develop a consistent methodology to be used in departments to produce the data.
The outcomes of this development work will inform whether we are able to publish a report for 2023/2024.
Asked by: Imran Hussain (Labour - Bradford East)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Bill, whether the Government plans to retain the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012.
Answered by Mims Davies - Shadow Minister (Women)
An amendment was tabled on 10 May 2023 to replace the current sunset clause in the Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Bill with a schedule of all the retained EU laws (REUL) that government departments intend to revoke by the end of 2023. The schedule includes REUL identified for revocation by the Health and Safety Executive and any remaining REUL will be retained including the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012. This is subject to the amendment being passed.