Asked by: Geraint Davies (Independent - Swansea West)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking to tackle (a) workforce sickness and (b) reduced productivity due to air pollution.
Answered by Mims Davies - Shadow Minister for Women and Equalities
The Joint DWP and DHSC Work & Health Directorate was set up in 2015 in recognition of the significant link between work and health and to reflect the shared agenda of boosting employment opportunities for disabled people and people with health conditions. This not only benefits people’s health and wealth, but also the UK economy through increased productivity and reduced economic inactivity.
The Government therefore has an ambitious programme of initiatives to support disabled people and people with health conditions, including conditions linked to air pollution, to start, stay and succeed in work. These include: the Work and Health Programme; Access to Work grants; Disability Confident; a digital information service for employers; Disability Employment Advisers in Jobcentres; and Individual Placement and Support in Primary Care.
Building on existing provision and the £2 billion investment announced at the Spring Budget, we announced a new package of support in Autumn Statement 2023 to: double the number of places on the Universal Support employment programme; launch WorkWell in approximately 15 pilot areas; and explore new ways of providing individuals receiving a fit note with timely access to support, alongside a newly established occupational health taskforce.
The Joint Air Quality Unit (JAQU) was established as a joint venture between Defra and the DfT to deliver the Government’s NO2 reduction strategies and they have provided this Department with the following information.
The UK is compliant with all its current domestic and international emission reduction commitments. This includes emissions of ammonia (with the inclusion of an approved adjustment), non-methane volatile organic compounds, nitrogen oxides, fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and sulphur dioxide.
However, the Government recognises there is more to do to protect people and the environment from the effects of air pollution, which is why we are taking the significant and wide-ranging action to drive improvements to air quality as set out in our Environmental Improvement Plan 2023.
This action is supported by the Environment Act 2021, through which we set two ambitious new targets for PM2.5, the pollutant most damaging to human health. Our innovative dual-target approach will improve public health by tackling areas where concentrations are highest as well as driving action to reduce exposure for all, maximising public health benefit.
Asked by: Philip Davies (Conservative - Shipley)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment he has made of the levels of productivity in the NHS.
Answered by Will Quince
The most recent indicator of National Health Service productivity comes from the January to March 2023 Office for National Statistics’ (ONS) quarterly total public sector productivity measure, which is available at the following link:
This measure doesn’t specifically identify health productivity but as health is around 40% of the measure, it is an indication of health productivity. The latest figures for January to March 2023 showed public service productivity was 11.6% above the average 2020/21 level suggesting NHS productivity is recovering.
Asked by: Alistair Carmichael (Liberal Democrat - Orkney and Shetland)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate he has made of the date by which he will next receive an update on the independent policing productivity review.
Answered by Chris Philp - Shadow Leader of the House of Commons
The Policing Productivity Review was commissioned in August 2020 to produce clear, practical, and deliverable recommendations to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of policing functions. They have provided their report to the Home Office, which has now been published.
The Government welcomes this review and is supportive of any effort to reduce bureaucracy and make it easier for the police to do their jobs. The Home Office is considering each of the recommendations and will engage with relevant stakeholders to respond to the report in due course.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what fiscal steps he is taking to improve productivity.
Answered by Gareth Davies
The Chancellor has outlined his plans to boost private sector productivity and long-term economic growth with a package of measures under the ‘four Es’ of economic growth: Employment, Enterprise, Education, and Everywhere.
The Government has introduced several fiscal measures to increase productivity. For example, we have introduced full expensing – giving the UK the most generous capital allowances regime in the OECD on a Net Present Value basis to increase business investment and boost labour productivity. We increased the R&D Expenditure Credit relief rate to 20% – the joint highest uncapped headline rate of R&D tax relief in the G7 for large companies.
We are supporting our world leading green industries. For example, up to £20bn of funding has been provided for Carbon Capture, Utilisation and Storage, and we are working with investors through our Automotive Transformation Fund to build a globally competitive electric vehicle supply chain in the UK. Furthermore, the Investment Zones programme will catalyse 12 high potential knowledge-intensive growth clusters across the UK.
We are also ensuring our labour market is more productive through our investment in skills and the Chief Secretary is currently leading a programme across government to identify the most ambitious ways to improve productivity in the public sector.
.
Oct. 25 2023
Source Page: £45 million to be reinvested in government to boost long-term productivity as the Cabinet Office sells stake in SSCLFound: £45 million to be reinvested in government to boost long-term productivity as the Cabinet Office sells
Jul. 26 2023
Source Page: Labour productivity statistics: 2022Found: Labour productivity statistics: 2022
Correspondence Apr. 23 2024
Committee: Economic Affairs CommitteeFound: At the Committee hearing, we discussed how productivity improvements could achieve more sustainable
Written Evidence Apr. 24 2024
Inquiry: NHS leadership, performance and patient safetyFound: How does leadership intersect with the NHS’s productivity challenge?
Government Response Apr. 23 2024
Committee: Economic Affairs CommitteeFound: Hughes Chair 102 Petty France London SW1H 9AJ obr.uk Dear Lord Bridges , The role of productivity
Written Evidence May. 28 2024
Committee: Public Accounts CommitteeFound: Future NHS productivity 9.The plan makes multiple assumptions about labour productivity within the