Lord McKenzie of Luton

Over the last 5 years (2016/17 to 2020/21), UK Research and Innovation (UKRI)’s Medical Research Council (MRC) has spent over £155.6 million on research relevant to respiratory health and disease.

This figure includes just under £142 million spent on research specifically relevant to respiratory disease (including areas such as Asthma, Pulmonary Tuberculosis, Pneumonia and other respiratory Infections, Cancer, and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease). Figures do not include spend on research relating to Covid-19.

Government’s role in Health and Safety is to set the framework in which companies have to operate. The Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 sets out general duties that employers owe to their employees. This is supplemented by more tailored regulations embodying the requirement to assess risks and identify measures required to deal with them. These include the Construction Design and Management Regulations 2015, which integrate health and safety into the management of construction projects throughout the entire supply chain.

In addition to the general framework for health and safety law, the Health and Safety Executive regulates health and safety in hazardous industries, including construction, through the use of permissioning regimes. These regimes include those set out in the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012.

Safety requirements for the sector are established by construction employers and representative bodies. Many of the requirements are embedded in qualifications, training courses and basic health and safety tests required by the sector to obtain skills cards, such as the Construction Skills Certification Scheme. Courses such as the Site Supervisors’ Safety Training Scheme are endorsed by Build UK as the standard training for all supervisors working on member sites.

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.

When deciding whether to prescribe new diseases or making any changes to the appropriate prescriptions under the Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit Scheme, Ministers are guided by the recommendations of the Industrial Injuries Advisory Council (“IIAC”). IIAC is independent of Government.

IIAC continually reviews the emerging literature, but at present nothing has come to light which might indicate the Council should change the views expressed in its Position Paper on occupational exposure to silica or asbestos and ANCA-associated vasculitis published on 3 April 2020. The Council will, of course, maintain a watching brief on this topic and may re-evaluate its position should any substantial evidence become apparent.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) recognises the importance of employee representation to help ensure effective control of workplace risk.

There is a legal requirement for employers to consult employees either directly or through appointed or elected representatives, on health and safety matters. HSE supports the contribution health and safety representatives and trade unions make to maintaining and improving health and safety in the workplace.

Under the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974, all employers are under a duty to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare at work of all their employees. This duty extends to those working from home, either temporarily or permanently.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has published guidance on its website for employers and home workers (https://www.hse.gov.uk/toolbox/workers/home.htm). The guidance covers all workers who work from home and includes information on working alone, working without supervision, ways to keep in touch and guidance on mental health, stress and wellbeing. It also covers practical guidance on setting up workstations, display screen equipment (DSE) and how to prevent musculoskeletal disorders.

The DSE guidance is intended to provide a flexible, proportionate and pragmatic approach for employers and employees on managing low-risk activities during a time when the Government advice is for people to work from home where it is possible to do so.

The HSE guidance emphasises the need for employers to keep health and safety arrangements for home working under review.

The Government has a firm commitment to gas safety, underpinned by legislation such as the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998.

The Department does not routinely mark charity anniversaries and has no separate plans to mark the 25^th anniversary of the Carbon Monoxide and Gas Safety Society.