Asked by: Richard Burgon (Labour - Leeds East)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether she has had discussions with (a) the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, (b) other Cabinet colleagues and (c) stakeholders on the potential merits of classifying long covid as an occupational disease.
Answered by Tom Pursglove - Minister of State (Minister for Legal Migration and Delivery)
The Government is committed to providing a strong financial safety net for those in need. The benefit system is set up to consider the impact that a health condition has on an individual’s ability to work and carry-out day to day activities. In terms of support for those with health conditions, decisions are based on an assessment of an individual’s functional ability, not their diagnosed health condition(s). All health care practitioners who carry out assessments on behalf of the department have access to specific training and guidance modules on a wide range of clinical conditions, including long-COVID.
DWP is responsible for the Industrial Injuries Scheme which compensates for injuries arising from an industrial accident or a prescribed disease contracted as a result of a person’s occupation. The Industrial Injuries Advisory Council (IIAC) is an independent body of experts who advise the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions regarding the scheme. The Council considered the available scientific and epidemiological evidence around COVID-19 infection and has published a Command Paper entitled, ‘COVID-19 and occupational impacts’. See: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-and-occupational-impacts.
We will carefully consider the recommendations in the Command Paper and respond in due course.
We will also continue to liaise with colleagues across Government and other stakeholders.
Asked by: Kenny MacAskill (Alba Party - East Lothian)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, whether trade agreements under negotiation with (a) India and (b) the Gulf Cooperation Council will include provisions on occupational health and safety, working hours and wages.
Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
We have an ambitious programme of Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations to help our nation become a truly Global Britain. FTAs build relationships with our trading partners to break down barriers to trade and support growth, jobs and higher wages for UK workers.
The Government shares the public’s high regard for worker protections and will continue to advocate for labour standards and working conditions globally, including under the International Labour Organization.
While we do not comment on the details of live negotiations, the Government will continue to maintain protections of the UK’s labour standards in new trade agreements, including in talks with India and the Gulf Cooperation Council.
Asked by: Liz Twist (Labour - Blaydon)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, with reference to the research by the Chartered Institute of Building entitled Understanding Mental Health in the Built Environment, published on 11 May 2020, and the research by Mates in Mind and The Institute for Employment Studies entitled Supporting the mental health of self-employed construction workers, published in June 2022, if he will take steps to help ensure that (a) employers and (b) suppliers in the construction industry are implementing measures to support the mental health and well-being of workers in that sector.
Answered by Graham Stuart
The Government is committed to working to improve health and safety, as well as mental and occupational health in the construction sector, to enable the sector to recruit and retain the workforce that it needs in future. This work is being taken forward through the Construction Leadership Council’s Health, Safety and Wellbeing Group, which brings together the Health and Safety Executive, industry representatives and trade unions, to develop and circulate information about best practice in relation to mental health and practical guidance for the industry.
Asked by: Liz Twist (Labour - Blaydon)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, with reference to the research by the Chartered Institute of Building entitled Understanding Mental Health in the Built Environment, published on 11 May 2020, and the research by Mates in Mind and The Institute for Employment Studies entitled Supporting the mental health of self-employed construction workers, published in June 2022, what recent assessment he has made of the potential impact of procurement demands on the mental health of workers in (a) construction industry supply chains and (b) other parts of the construction industry.
Answered by Jackie Doyle-Price
The Government is committed to working to improve health and safety, as well as mental and occupational health in the construction sector, to enable the sector to recruit and retain the workforce that it needs in future. This work is being taken forward through the Construction Leadership Council’s Health, Safety and Wellbeing Group, which brings together the Health and Safety Executive, industry representatives and trade unions to develop and circulate best practice and practical guidance for the industry.
The Government is also aware that procurement and contractual practices in the sector can have an impact on mental health. The Government has set out its commitment to improving procurement processes, and ensure there are fair and transparent payment and contractual provisions in relation to government construction projects and programmes in the Construction Playbook.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether she plans to include silicosis as a notifiable disease under the Health Protection (Notification) Regulations 2010.
Answered by Caroline Johnson
The Health Protection (Notification) Regulations 2010 provide public health protection in England and place a statutory duty to notify the appropriate authority of certain infectious diseases and causative agents, such as COVID-19. This enables prompt investigation, risk assessment and response by specified bodies to cases of infectious disease or contamination that pose a significant risk to human health.
Silicosis is not an infectious disease or causative agent which presents or could present significant harm to human health. Therefore, it cannot be included under Schedule 1 or 2 of the regulations, as the powers are limited in accordance with the Public Health (Control of Diseases) Act 1984. Instead, it is associated with occupational exposure to respirable crystalline silica. The Health and Safety Executive recommend health surveillance should be considered for workers involved in high-risk occupations, such as construction and foundry work.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has plans to include silicosis as a notifiable disease under the Health Protection Regulations 2010.
Answered by Caroline Johnson
The Health Protection (Notification) Regulations 2010 provide public health protection in England and place a statutory duty to notify the appropriate authority of certain infectious diseases and causative agents, such as COVID-19. This enables prompt investigation, risk assessment and response by specified bodies to cases of infectious disease or contamination that pose a significant risk to human health.
Silicosis is not an infectious disease or causative agent which presents or could present significant harm to human health. Therefore, it cannot be included under Schedule 1 or 2 of the regulations, as the powers are limited in accordance with the Public Health (Control of Diseases) Act 1984. Instead, it is associated with occupational exposure to respirable crystalline silica. The Health and Safety Executive recommend health surveillance should be considered for workers involved in high-risk occupations, such as construction and foundry work.
Asked by: Lord Hunt of Kings Heath (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have undertaken an impact assessment on the decision to end the provision of the BTEC qualification in Health and Social Care with regard to (1) NHS workforce numbers, (2) social care workforce numbers, and (3) patient safety.
Answered by Baroness Barran - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The department has been clear that we will continue to fund some BTECs and other qualifications in future, where there is a clear need for skills and knowledge that A levels and T Levels cannot provide, and where they meet new quality standards. These will continue to play an important role for 16 to 19 year olds and adults. This includes for students taking qualifications such as BTECs as their full programme of study, where there is no A level or T Level, and those taking mixed programmes of A levels and other qualifications. We expect to fund small academic qualifications that should typically be taken alongside A levels in priority subject areas such as science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) and in areas where an A level is not available, such as health and social care. We will set out the full approval criteria in due course.
The health T Level will help raise awareness amongst young people of the occupational choices within the healthcare sector and provide an opportunity for employers to strengthen their engagement with local schools and colleges. In addition, the health T Level will provide a pipeline of young talent who may move into Trainee Nursing Associate and Assistant Health Practitioner roles, later progressing to the registered occupations.
In November last year the department announced an extra year before our reforms are implemented, including the removal of overlapping qualifications. This extra year will allow the department to continue to support the growth of T Levels and gives more notice to providers, awarding organisations, employers, students and parents so that they can prepare for the changes.
Asked by: Janet Daby (Labour - Lewisham East)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the World Health Organisation report entitled Carcinogenicity of occupational exposure as a firefighter, published on 30 June 2022, if she will make an assessment of the implications of her policies of the evidence linking flame retardants to cancers in firefighters.
Answered by Sarah Dines
The health and safety of firefighters is of great importance.
The emerging evidence of firefighters being exposed to risks of cancer is concerning.
It is for individual fire and rescue authorities, as employers with responsibility for health and wellbeing, to ensure that firefighters receive the appropriate equipment and training they need to safely respond to the wide range of incidents which they attend.
Asked by: Janet Daby (Labour - Lewisham East)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the World Health Organisation report entitled Carcinogenicity of occupational exposure as a firefighter, published on 30th June 2022, if she will include cancer in firefighters related to flame retardant chemicals in the list of diseases covered by the Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit.
Answered by Sarah Dines
The health and safety of firefighters is of great importance.
The emerging evidence of firefighters being exposed to risks of cancer is concerning.
It is for individual fire and rescue authorities, as employers with responsibility for health and wellbeing, to ensure that firefighters receive the appropriate equipment and training they need to safely respond to the wide range of incidents which they attend.
Asked by: Yvonne Fovargue (Labour - Makerfield)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether she plans to introduce further measures on prevention of respiratory conditions in the workplace.
Answered by Chloe Smith
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) continues its activity to help prevent work related respiratory ill health by using the best available evidence to design interventions that will improve health outcomes. HSE delivers a wide range of regulatory activity to prevent work related respiratory ill health, focusing on steps employers and workers can take to control occupational exposures.