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.

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.