Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Stedman-Scott on 11 June (HL874), whether they will publish a comprehensive list of the (1) literature reviews, and (2) individual studies, on the relationship between silica or asbestos and anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody associated vasculitis that they have taken into account since the publication of the Position Paper of the Industrial Injuries Advisory Council on 3 April 2020.

The relationship between silica or asbestos and anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody associated vasculitis is not a current investigation of the Industrial Injuries Advisory Council. The Council carried out a comprehensive review of the scientific literature on this topic and published a fully referenced position paper and found some evidence relating crystalline silica exposures to an increased risk of ANCA-associated vasculitis. The evidence was not consistent and mostly derived from small studies which are potentially subject to selection and publication biases. Consequently, the Industrial Injuries Advisory Council considered that ANCA-associated vasculitis associated with silica exposure did not meet the criteria for prescription under the Industrial Injuries Scheme.

Regular scanning of published literature since the position paper was published has not uncovered any further significant evidence. The Industrial Injuries Advisory Council does not publish literature searches and has no plans to do so.