Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of section 44 of the Employment Rights Act 1996 in relation to workplace health and safety during the covid-19 crisis; if he will update the Government's covid-19-secure workplace guidance to include that assessment; and if he will make a statement.

Under the law, employers are responsible for health and safety management and should take the necessary steps to ensure safe workplaces. During the Covid-19 crisis, the Government has worked with a wide range of businesses, trade unions and representative organisations to issue guidance on safe return to work. Public Health England and the Health and Safety Executive have also issued guidance on how to ensure social distancing and hygiene measures in the workplace.

In line with employment and health and safety law, this guidance sets out that where employees have health and safety concerns, they should raise this with their employee representative, trade union, or the Health & Safety Executive. Where HSE identifies employers who are not taking action to comply with the relevant PHE guidance to control public health risks they will consider taking a range of enforcement action. The Government recently announced an additional £14 million of funding for HSE to support this work.