Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of banning silica.

The merits of banning silica have not been considered as it is a naturally occurring material found in sand, glass, and many rocks and minerals.

Great Britain has a well-established regulatory framework under the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) Regulations 2002 (as amended), which already require employers to prevent exposure to Respirable Crystalline Silica (RCS) to protect workers’ health.