Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if his Department will make an assessment of the potential merits of retaining the Health and Safety (Consultation with Employees) Regulations 1996 following the passage of the Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Bill; and whether his Department has held recent discussions with industry stakeholders on the potential impact of not retaining those regulations.

The Health and Safety (Consultation with Employees) Regulations 1996 require employers to consult employees on health and safety matters that might affect them, either directly or via representatives elected by employees.

With the introduction of the Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Bill, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) remains focused on ensuring that regulatory frameworks maintain the United Kingdom’s high standards of health and safety protection and continue to reduce burdens for business.

HSE’s approach aligns closely with the Government’s pledge to do more for business to help promote growth by removing disproportionate burdens and simplifying the regulatory landscape. Our standards of health and safety protections are among the highest in the world. HSE will continue to review its retained EU Law to seek opportunities to reduce business burdens and promote growth without reducing health and safety standards.

Stakeholders and industry sectors will continue to be consulted fully on how health, safety and welfare legislation may develop in the future.