Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will have discussions with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care on the potential merits of banning silica.

There are no plans to discuss the merits of banning silica 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 requires employers to prevent exposure to Respirable Crystalline Silica (RCS) to protect workers’ health.