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Written Question
Joint Work and Health Unit
Monday 3rd March 2025

Asked by: Kirsty Blackman (Scottish National Party - Aberdeen North)

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the priorities are of the joint Work and Health Unit.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

The Department for Work and Pensions and Department of Health and Social Care Joint Work and Health Directorate (JWHD) (formerly Unit) was set up in 2015 in recognition of the significant link between work and health and to improve employment opportunities for disabled people and people with health conditions.

The goal of the JWHD is to open up opportunities to good work and to support a healthier, more productive and inclusive nation, by helping more disabled people and people with health conditions to: get appropriate work, get on in that work, and to return to work as quickly as possible if they leave it. This supports the Government priority of tackling economic inactivity, set out in the Get Britain Working White Paper.

The JWHD works to join up the health and employment systems, including the addition of employment support in existing care pathways, such as placing Employment Advisors in NHS Talking Therapy services and WorkWell, which is part of the plan to Get Britain Working and enables local areas to lead, design and deliver work and health support that meets the needs of their communities.

It is also recognised that employers play an important role in addressing health and disability. To build on this, JWHD is facilitating “Keep Britain Working”, an independent review of the role of UK employers in reducing health-related inactivity and to promote healthy and inclusive workplaces. The lead reviewer, Sir Charlie Mayfield, is expected to bring forward recommendations in Autumn 2025. Additionally, the JWHD has developed a digital information service for employers, and continues to oversee the Disability Confident Scheme.


Written Question
Employment: Reform
Thursday 27th February 2025

Asked by: Kirsty Blackman (Scottish National Party - Aberdeen North)

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions,what the initial results are of the work undertaken in the eight trailblazer areas set out in the Get Britain Working White Paper; and what are the key performance indicators for this work.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

As announced in the Get Britain Working White Paper, Trailblazers to test more localised delivery of the Youth Guarantee and support for people who are economically inactive are due to launch starting from April 2025. We are working closely with the Trailblazer delivery areas to develop their plans, which includes evaluation and performance information ahead of rollout.


Written Question
Department for Work and Pensions: Correspondence
Tuesday 14th January 2025

Asked by: Kirsty Blackman (Scottish National Party - Aberdeen North)

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether her Department records the number of enquiries received from (a) hon. Members and (b) Members of Devolved (i) Parliaments and (ii) Assemblies on a quarterly basis.

Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)

The department receives and responds to enquiries from Members of Parliament and Members of devolved Parliaments or Assemblies but does not collate, report or produce statistics on this.


Written Question
State Retirement Pensions: Women
Wednesday 8th January 2025

Asked by: Kirsty Blackman (Scottish National Party - Aberdeen North)

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many written representations on compensation for women affected by changes to the state pension age she has received from Labour (a) hon. Members representing Scottish constituencies and (b) Members of the Scottish Parliament since 5 July 2024.

Answered by Emma Reynolds - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Department does not keep this information centrally and therefore it is not readily available. Providing the information that the Department does hold would incur disproportionate costs.


Written Question
State Retirement Pensions: Women
Monday 9th December 2024

Asked by: Kirsty Blackman (Scottish National Party - Aberdeen North)

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will make an estimate of the number of women born in the 1950s affected by State Pension age changes in each constituency in (a) Scotland and (b) Northern Ireland.

Answered by Emma Reynolds - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)

In Scotland, as of the 2022 census there were the following numbers of 1950s-born women in each Scottish constituency:

Constituency

Females aged 63 to 72 in 2022

East Renfrewshire

6,086

Na h-Eileanan an Iar

1,914

Midlothian

5,569

North Ayrshire and Arran

6,866

Orkney and Shetland

2,901

Aberdeen North

6,079

Aberdeen South

5,144

Aberdeenshire North and Moray East

6,279

Airdrie and Shotts

5,342

Alloa and Grangemouth

5,716

Angus and Perthshire Glens

7,146

Arbroath and Broughty Ferry

6,507

Argyll, Bute and South Lochaber

7,029

Bathgate and Linlithgow

5,286

Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross

6,977

Coatbridge and Bellshill

5,540

Cowdenbeath and Kirkcaldy

5,976

Cumbernauld and Kirkintilloch

5,585

Dumfries and Galloway

7,212

Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale

6,432

Dundee Central

5,094

Dunfermline and Dollar

5,543

East Kilbride and Strathaven

5,921

Edinburgh East and Musselburgh

4,895

Edinburgh North and Leith

4,363

Edinburgh South

5,203

Edinburgh South West

4,699

Edinburgh West

5,847

Falkirk

5,732

Glasgow East

4,516

Glasgow North

3,995

Glasgow North East

4,823

Glasgow South

4,754

Glasgow South West

4,648

Glasgow West

4,880

Glenrothes and Mid Fife

5,958

Gordon and Buchan

5,696

Hamilton and Clyde Valley

5,982

Inverclyde and Renfrewshire West

6,209

Inverness, Skye and West Ross-shire

6,686

Livingston

5,600

Lothian East

6,023

Mid Dunbartonshire

6,639

Moray West, Nairn and Strathspey

6,736

Motherwell, Wishaw and Carluke

5,589

North East Fife

6,248

Paisley and Renfrewshire North

5,749

Paisley and Renfrewshire South

5,439

Perth and Kinross-shire

6,664

Rutherglen

6,004

Stirling and Strathallan

5,965

West Dunbartonshire

5,905

Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock

6,619

Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk

7,240

Central Ayrshire

6,245

Kilmarnock and Loudoun

6,100

West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine

6,004

The relevant Scottish census data is available here in table UV102a, broken down by United Kingdom Parliamentary Constituency 2024: SuperWEB2(tm) - Table View.

In Northern Ireland, as of the 2021 census there were the following numbers of 1950s-born women in each Northern Irish constituency:

Constituency

Females aged 62 to 71 in 2021

Belfast East

4,825

Belfast North

5,116

Belfast South and Mid Down

5,343

Belfast West

5,081

East Antrim

5,633

East Londonderry

5,771

Fermanagh and South Tyrone

5,701

Foyle

5,087

Lagan Valley

5,528

Mid Ulster

4,845

Newry and Armagh

5,439

North Antrim

5,656

North Down

6,181

South Antrim

5,286

South Down

5,441

Strangford

5,917

Upper Bann

5,796

West Tyrone

5,234

The relevant Northern Irish census data is available in this table: Get data for Single year of age and sex (MS-A09) | NISRA Flexible Table Builder


Written Question
Offshore Industry: Employment
Monday 12th December 2022

Asked by: Kirsty Blackman (Scottish National Party - Aberdeen North)

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many concerns relating to offshore employment (a) met the criteria for follow-up and (b) were investigated in the first six months of 2022.

Answered by Mims Davies - Shadow Minister (Women)

In the first six months of 2022:

  • 1 offshore renewable incident met the Health and Safety Executive's (HSE) Incident Selection Criteria, and a subsequent investigation was completed.

  • There were 5 reportable dangerous occurrences related to the offshore renewables industry.

  • No planned inspections were completed on offshore renewable energy installations. This is because HSE’s focus was on responding to operational concerns.

  • 9 concerns relating to offshore employment were reported to HSE. Of these, 6 investigations have been completed and 1 investigation is currently underway.

Written Question
Wind Power: Health and Safety
Monday 12th December 2022

Asked by: Kirsty Blackman (Scottish National Party - Aberdeen North)

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether the report by MMI Engineering Ltd for the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) entitled Study and development of a methodology for the estimation of the risk and harm to persons from wind turbines, RR968, published in 2013, is the most recent HSE study on the methodology for the estimation of the risk and harm to people from wind turbines.

Answered by Mims Davies - Shadow Minister (Women)

The Health and Safety Executive’s (HSE) research report ‘RR968’ remains one of a range of studies, guidance and industry data used to assist in the evaluation of risk to people from wind turbines and operations.

Further, HSE continues to support industry in the development of industry specific guidance for this rapidly developing sector.


Written Question
Renewable Energy: Health and Safety
Monday 12th December 2022

Asked by: Kirsty Blackman (Scottish National Party - Aberdeen North)

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many and what proportion of offshore renewable incidents (a) met the Health and Safety Executive's (HSE) Incident Selection Criteria and (b) were investigated by HSE in the first six months of 2022.

Answered by Mims Davies - Shadow Minister (Women)

In the first six months of 2022:

  • 1 offshore renewable incident met the Health and Safety Executive's (HSE) Incident Selection Criteria, and a subsequent investigation was completed.

  • There were 5 reportable dangerous occurrences related to the offshore renewables industry.

  • No planned inspections were completed on offshore renewable energy installations. This is because HSE’s focus was on responding to operational concerns.

  • 9 concerns relating to offshore employment were reported to HSE. Of these, 6 investigations have been completed and 1 investigation is currently underway.

Written Question
Renewable Energy: Health and Safety
Monday 12th December 2022

Asked by: Kirsty Blackman (Scottish National Party - Aberdeen North)

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many dangerous occurrences relating to the offshore renewables industry were reported to the Health and Safety Executive between January and June 2022.

Answered by Mims Davies - Shadow Minister (Women)

In the first six months of 2022:

  • 1 offshore renewable incident met the Health and Safety Executive's (HSE) Incident Selection Criteria, and a subsequent investigation was completed.

  • There were 5 reportable dangerous occurrences related to the offshore renewables industry.

  • No planned inspections were completed on offshore renewable energy installations. This is because HSE’s focus was on responding to operational concerns.

  • 9 concerns relating to offshore employment were reported to HSE. Of these, 6 investigations have been completed and 1 investigation is currently underway.

Written Question
Renewable Energy: Health and Safety
Monday 12th December 2022

Asked by: Kirsty Blackman (Scottish National Party - Aberdeen North)

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many offshore renewable incidents met the Health and Safety Executive's Incident Selection Criteria in the first six months of 2022.

Answered by Mims Davies - Shadow Minister (Women)

In the first six months of 2022:

  • 1 offshore renewable incident met the Health and Safety Executive's (HSE) Incident Selection Criteria, and a subsequent investigation was completed.

  • There were 5 reportable dangerous occurrences related to the offshore renewables industry.

  • No planned inspections were completed on offshore renewable energy installations. This is because HSE’s focus was on responding to operational concerns.

  • 9 concerns relating to offshore employment were reported to HSE. Of these, 6 investigations have been completed and 1 investigation is currently underway.