Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she has taken to ensure companies that have been contracted by her Department to fulfil outsourced work comply with covid-related health and safety regulations.
All contractors that deliver the Department contracts are required to deliver their contractual obligations in accordance with all applicable law regarding health and safety as a matter of course. We expect all our contractors to comply with current government guidelines to ensure Covid safe working practices as part of that commitment.
In many instances the Department has supported contractors moving to Covid safe working practices by delivering services to participants using digital platforms, where appropriate to do so and in many cases our contractor’s staff have moved to working from home during the height of the pandemic.
We have also collaborated closely with providers to establish procedures for the safe resumption of face to face services where these are necessary, including advice on social distancing requirements, sanitisation, PPE and face coverings
In specific cases the Department has actively worked in consultation with its suppliers to assess Covid related risk in the workplace and identify ways in which the services can be delivered in a safer manner. Specific examples include –
We have also supported providers in meeting and exceeding their obligations under Covid related procedures, for example where Security Officers test positive they are required to self-isolate for 14/10 days and not return to work but still receive their full pay whilst self-isolating.
Unfortunately, the Department cannot attend sites to verify that providers are adhering to Covid safe working practices, as this in itself would breach the same standards.