Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent discussions he has had with the Health and Safety Executive on improving health surveillance for workers exposed to respirable crystalline silica.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has strengthened its guidance on health surveillance to make clear that employers must ensure that the health of employees exposed to respirable crystalline silica is regularly monitored. HSE is serving improvement notices when failings to provide statutory health surveillance are found, and further measures will be considered should it become clear they are needed.