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, how much her Department spent on social media advertising in (a) 2019, (b) 2020, (c) 2021 and (d) 2022 up to and including 28 February; and on which platforms that money was spent.
Answered by Guy Opperman
Social media advertising spend by the Department for Work and Pensions is included in marketing spend data published on GOV.UK: DWP: departmental spending over £25,000 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
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 assessment she has made on the impact of not uprating benefits in line with inflation on levels of child poverty in Swansea West constituency.
Answered by David Rutley
No such assessment has been made. The Government is up-rating benefits in line with inflation. The Secretary of State undertakes an annual review of benefits and pensions with reference to the Consumer Prices Index (CPI). All benefit up-rating since April 1987 has been based on the increase in the relevant price inflation index in the 12 months to the previous September. The relevant benefits are increasing by 3.1% from April.
The latest statistics on the number and proportion of children who are in low income families by local area, covering the six years, 2014/15 to 2019/20, can be found in the annual publication: Children in low income families: local area statistics 2014 to 2020 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)(opens in a new tab).
This Government is committed to reducing poverty and supporting low-income families, and believes work is the best route out of poverty. Our approach is based on clear evidence about the importance of parental employment – particularly where it is full-time – in substantially reducing the risks of child poverty and in improving long-term outcomes for families and children.
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 assessment her Department has made of the impact of not uprating benefits in line with inflation on the incomes of households in receipt of universal credit, in the context of the end of the £20 weekly uplift.
Answered by David Rutley
The Secretary of State undertakes an annual review of benefits and pensions based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI), which measures inflation in the year to September. All benefit up-rating since April 1987 has been based on the increase in the relevant price inflation index in the 12 months to the previous September.
The Government is providing £12 billion of support with the cost of living, with help targeted at working families, low-income households and the most vulnerable. A further £9 billion has been announced to protect against the impact of rising global energy prices.
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, If she will publish HSE’s initial assessment of substances added to the EU Substances of Very High Concern Candidate List.
Answered by Chloe Smith
HSE will be publishing the initial assessment of substances added to the EU Substance of Very High Concern (SVHCs) Candidate List in an update to its website within the next two weeks. This is in line with the commitment made in the 2021-2022 UK REACH Work Programme, and guided by the interim principles for the inclusion of SVHCs on the candidate list which have been agreed by Defra and the Welsh and Scottish Governments.
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 assessment she has made of the implications for his policies of the University of Central Lancashire's report on Minimising firefighters' exposure to toxic fire effluents, published 23 November 2020, that showed exposure to high levels of toxic contaminants in indoor air pollution has increased cancer amongst firefighters.
Answered by Mims Davies - Shadow Minister (Women)
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is considering this report together with broader national and international research on occupational health issues. These findings will inform policy decisions on legislation, advice and guidance.
The overarching legal duty for Fire and Rescue Services (FRS) to prevent and control risks to their employees’ health from exposure to hazardous substances remains unchanged. FRS are required to have measures in place to control exposure to contaminants that give rise to a risk to health.
HSE works proactively with the National Fire Chief’s Council (NFCC) to ensure that FRS use such information to identify and control risks to their employees.
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 discussions she has had with the Health and Safety Executive on protecting the health of workers in recycling businesses who are exposed to flame retardant chemicals when stripping down end-of-life sofas and mattresses.
Answered by Mims Davies - Shadow Minister (Women)
The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 (COSHH) outline specific duties on employers to protect workers from harmful substances, such as foams and flame retardants, which may be contained in soft furnishings such as mattresses and sofas. HSE provides practical advice and guidance on the basics of COSHH, completing COSHH assessments and links to industry specific information and guidance to prevent and control workplace exposure to harmful substances at http://www.hse.gov.uk/coshh.
Furniture manufacturers buy upholstery materials that have already received treatment to meet specified ignition resistance levels and are suitably labelled. HSE has not specifically examined the issue of exposure to flame retardant chemicals when cutting and sewing these fabrics. Exposure to flame retardant chemicals from stripping end of life sofas and mattresses is not a known issue in the waste and recycling industry and no guidance has been produced on the topic by either HSE or the industry’s own Waste Industry Safety and Health Forum.
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 discussions she has had with the Health and Safety Executive on taking steps to protect the health of workers in the UK furniture manufacturing business who are exposed to flame retardant chemicals when cutting and sewing chemically saturated fabrics and foams.
Answered by Mims Davies - Shadow Minister (Women)
The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 (COSHH) outline specific duties on employers to protect workers from harmful substances, such as foams and flame retardants, which may be contained in soft furnishings such as mattresses and sofas. HSE provides practical advice and guidance on the basics of COSHH, completing COSHH assessments and links to industry specific information and guidance to prevent and control workplace exposure to harmful substances at http://www.hse.gov.uk/coshh.
Furniture manufacturers buy upholstery materials that have already received treatment to meet specified ignition resistance levels and are suitably labelled. HSE has not specifically examined the issue of exposure to flame retardant chemicals when cutting and sewing these fabrics. Exposure to flame retardant chemicals from stripping end of life sofas and mattresses is not a known issue in the waste and recycling industry and no guidance has been produced on the topic by either HSE or the industry’s own Waste Industry Safety and Health Forum.