Asked by: Paul Girvan (Democratic Unionist Party - South Antrim)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many farm accidents were reported involving a slurry tank or other slurry storage in the last three years.
Answered by Sarah Newton
Farmers in Great Britain are required to report accidents that cause defined injuries to people under the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013. Reports made in compliance with these regulations do not contain sufficient detail to enable identification of all incidents that are specifically related to slurry storage.
In the case of incidents that have caused death, the Health and Safety Executive publishes annual reports of fatal injuries in agriculture in Great Britain. In the last three years for which figures have been published, the following deaths related to slurry storage were recorded:
Year | Number of deaths |
2014/15 | 1 |
2015/16 | 2 |
2016/17 | 0 |
Asked by: Paul Girvan (Democratic Unionist Party - South Antrim)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if her Department will introduce legislation to ensure that businesses erect signage stating that all service animals are welcome on their premises.
Answered by Sarah Newton
There are no plans to introduce legislation to ensure businesses have signage stating that service animals (assistance dogs) have access to premises. Standards for assistance dogs are currently and historically maintained on the basis of a voluntary regulatory framework. There is no specific legislation for the regulation of assistance dogs and no legislation is planned. Assistance dogs must be allowed access to premises and services as a reasonable adjustment under the Equality Act 2010.
Asked by: Paul Girvan (Democratic Unionist Party - South Antrim)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of mandatory drug testing for people who operate heavy plant machinery.
Answered by Sarah Newton
No assessment has been made of the potential merits of mandatory drug testing for people who operate heavy plant machinery.
Employers have a general duty under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 to, so far as is reasonably practicable, ensure the health, safety and welfare at work of their employees. If they knowingly allow an employee under the influence of drug misuse to continue working and his or her behaviour places the employee or others at risk, they could be prosecuted.
The Health and Safety Executive is in the process of updating its guidance on drug misuse at work which provides advice on, and highlights the benefits of, tackling this issue. When finalised, a copy will be placed in the House Library.
Asked by: Paul Girvan (Democratic Unionist Party - South Antrim)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether her Department is taking steps to ensure that those diagnosed with Parkinson's disease are not declared as having a condition which is likely to improve by employment support allowance physical assessors; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by Sarah Newton
Since 29 September 2017, when considering the review period for an Employment and Support Allowance or Universal Credit claimant as part of the Work Capability Assessment, a healthcare professional has been required to consider whether the condition or its functional affects meet the new severe conditions criteria. Where the criteria are all met, the healthcare professional will advise that no further assessments are needed.
Rather than being defined through a list of specific medical conditions, the criteria are based on identifying claimants with severe, lifelong, often progressive and incurable illnesses and disabilities, whose level of function would always mean that they would have Limited Capability for Work and Work-Related Activity, and who are unlikely ever to be able to move into work.