Asked by: Seema Malhotra (Labour (Co-op) - Feltham and Heston)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent assessment she made of the (a) effectiveness of enhanced RIDDOR reporting, (b) potential merits of appointing a confidential reporting body for all near misses and accidents that do not qualify for RIDDOR reporting and (c) potential merits of extending Working Well Together safety campaigns to industries outside the construction sector to reduce the number of working at height fatalities.
Answered by Mims Davies - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The 2019 report from the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for falls from height (FFH) made a number of recommendations to the Government to reduce fatal and serious injuries from FFH in the UK. Recommendations were subsequently considered at a Westminster Hall debate. The Minister for Disabled Persons, the Rt. Hon. Justin Tomlinson MP made a formal Ministerial statement setting out the Government response.
The APPG discussed the issue of enhanced RIDDOR reporting with The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and highlighted that the free text section of the online RIDDOR reporting form already allows for recording of the additional detail requested by the APPG. The access industry was tasked with considering industry guidance for using the free text section to improve intelligence and consistency of this data. HSE agreed to explore this further with the APPG.
The Ministerial Statement also confirmed HSE’s position on the APPG recommendation for the appointment of a confidential reporting body. HSE agreed that if such a body were to be set up, for it to be truly independent, it would need to be led by industry not HSE.
The possibility of extending Working Well Together (WWT) safety campaigns to other industries has been discussed by the WWT steering group. They felt that they wanted to stay focused on construction industries at present.
Asked by: Seema Malhotra (Labour (Co-op) - Feltham and Heston)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent discussions she had with the (a) Health and Safety Executive and (b) Access Industry Forum on reducing the number of serious injuries and fatalities from working at height.
Answered by Mims Davies - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Health and Safety Executive’s (HSE) regulatory activities include inspection and enforcement of workplace activities and will address risks of working at height where they are relevant. In the 2019/20 work year, HSE served 239 Improvement Notices and 809 Prohibition Notices to secure improved management of risk and prevent work where there was uncontrolled risk relating to work at height. HSE also undertook specific of programmes of work targeting industries where incidents relating to work at height are prevalent such as agriculture and construction. HSE has published guidance on steps necessary to tackle this risk in a range of workplaces: https://www.hse.gov.uk/work-at-height/index.htm.
DWP regularly meet with HSE to discuss a range of topics. HSE have recently reiterated their support to the APPG for working at height as it takes forward actions to reduce injuries and fatal accidents. This includes engagement with the Access Industry Forum on this important topic.
Asked by: Seema Malhotra (Labour (Co-op) - Feltham and Heston)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps her Department is taking to reduce the number of (a) fatalities and (b) serious injuries which occur as a result of working at height.
Answered by Mims Davies - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Health and Safety Executive’s (HSE) regulatory activities include inspection and enforcement of workplace activities and will address risks of working at height where they are relevant. In the 2019/20 work year, HSE served 239 Improvement Notices and 809 Prohibition Notices to secure improved management of risk and prevent work where there was uncontrolled risk relating to work at height. HSE also undertook specific of programmes of work targeting industries where incidents relating to work at height are prevalent such as agriculture and construction. HSE has published guidance on steps necessary to tackle this risk in a range of workplaces: https://www.hse.gov.uk/work-at-height/index.htm.
DWP regularly meet with HSE to discuss a range of topics. HSE have recently reiterated their support to the APPG for working at height as it takes forward actions to reduce injuries and fatal accidents. This includes engagement with the Access Industry Forum on this important topic.
Asked by: Mick Whitley (Labour - Birkenhead)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of extending the suspension on evictions beyond 20 September 2020.
Answered by Christopher Pincher
Our primary consideration remains, as it has been throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, to protect public health and ensure public services can provide support to those who need it. The stay on possession proceedings has been extended until 20 September 2020, meaning that in total no tenant can have been legally evicted for six months at the height of the pandemic.
Legislation has been introduced that means, from 29 August 2020, landlords must give tenants six months’ notice before they can evict in most circumstances, apart from the most egregious cases such as incidents of anti-social behaviour and domestic abuse perpetrators. This will be in force until 31 March 2021.
When courts do resume possession hearings they will carefully prioritise the most egregious cases, ensuring landlords are able to advance cases such as those involving anti-social behaviour and other?serious cases.??Case listing, including prioritisation, in court is a judicial function and we are working with the judiciary through the Master of the Rolls’ Working Group on possession proceedings to finalise the categories of serious cases that?will?be prioritised when hearings resume.
Our measures strike a good balance?by?easing the path to the?opening?of?the courts for the most critical cases while keeping the public safe over winter.? We will keep these measures under review?and decisions?will continue?to be guided by the latest public health advice.
Asked by: Neale Hanvey (Alba Party - Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to protect regional connectivity in the UK following the collapse of Flybe.
Answered by Kelly Tolhurst
The Government recognises the impact Flybe’s collapse and the subsequent COVID-19 constraints on services, regional airports, regional economies and connectivity across the UK. We are working with industry to identify where key routes are being re-established and we remain committed to supporting regional connectivity, recognising the importance of maintaining a thriving competitive aviation sector in the UK to deliver this. In May the Government announced a £5.7million funding package of measures,?temporarily supporting?two airlinks,?from Belfast and Londonderry to London,?and associated airport services at City of Derry Airport and Belfast City Airport. The funding package ensured that lifeline connectivity services continued to both Belfast and Londonderry during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The Government has provided an unprecedented package of measures to support the UK economy. These measures are open to businesses across the aviation sector and include a Bank of England scheme for firms to raise capital, Time to Pay flexibilities with tax bills, financial support for employees and VAT deferrals.?In exceptional circumstances, where a viable company has exhausted all options and its failure would disproportionately harm the economy, the Government is prepared to enter discussions with individual companies seeking bespoke support as a last resort. Any intervention would need to represent value for money for taxpayers. We will continue to engage with stakeholders across the sector, including regional airports, to understand the situations they face.
The Chancellor has announced that there will be a consultation on aviation tax reform. As part of this consultation, the Government will consider the case for changing the APD treatment of domestic flights, such as reintroducing a return leg exemption, and for increasing the number of international distance bands
The Government remains committed to supporting regional connectivity across all transport modes, as well as the importance of maintaining a thriving competitive aviation sector in the UK to deliver connectivity. The Department is currently working on a recovery plan for the sector out to 2025. The plan will have a strong focus on regional connectivity and will be developed in consultation with industry for an Autumn publication.
Asked by: Caroline Lucas (Green Party - Brighton, Pavilion)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what his timescale is for permitting opening of service dentistry outside urgent care centres as the covid-19 restrictions are eased; what the barriers are to that re-opening; what steps he is taking to tackle those barriers; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Jo Churchill - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
NHS England and NHS Improvement announced on 28 May that practice-based National Health Service dental services could gradually resume from 8 June, giving dental practices flexibility to do what is best for patients and their teams. NHS England and NHS Improvement issued additionally detailed standard operating procedure earlier this month setting out detailed guidance on how dentists can restart face to face dentistry safely. NHS England and NHS Improvement dental guidance is available at the following link:
https://www.england.nhs.uk/coronavirus/primary-care/dental-practice/
Dentists continue to receive full NHS funding with, during the restart period, no targets for numbers of treatments delivered or patients seen. This is to ensure there is no pressure to restart in a way that could conflict with safety. At the height of the pandemic NHS England and NHS Improvement set up urgent dental care centres (UDCs) to provide clinically necessary urgent treatment to patients. The UDCs remain open during the restart period to ensure patients can access urgent care and no additional pressure is put on the pace of the practice restart.
Many dental procedures involve so called aerosol generating procedures. This requires full personal and protective equipment during the pandemic period including FFP2/3 masks. The Government is working closely with industry, the NHS, social care providers and the army to ensure that personal protective equipment is delivered to those who need it. This includes supporting dental wholesalers to stock the equipment needed by general dental practice to safely support practices to restart face to face dental care.
Asked by: Stephen Morgan (Labour - Portsmouth South)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of whether the length of the notice given to dentists in respect of reopening on 8 June 2020 was sufficient to enable them to procure personal protective equipment in order to prevent the spread of covid-19.
Answered by Jo Churchill - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
NHS England and NHS Improvement as the commissioner of National Health Service dental services decided the notice period for the gradual resumption of face to face care by dental practices holding an NHS contract. The letter announcing this set out that the resumption should be gradual with practices increasing services only at a pace compatible with maximising safety.
Dentists continue to receive full NHS funding with, during the restart period, no targets for numbers of treatments delivered or patients seen. This is to ensure there is no pressure to restart in a way that could conflict with safety. At the height of the pandemic NHS England and NHS Improvement set up urgent dental care centres (UDCs) to provide clinically necessary urgent treatment to patients. Over 600 UDCs remain open during the restart period to ensure patients can access urgent care and no additional pressure is put on the pace of the practice restart.
Most high street dentists purchase personal protective equipment (PPE) via dental wholesalers which supply a range of equipment needed by dentists including PPE. During the COVID-19 pandemic the Government is working closely with industry, the National Health Service, social care providers and the army to ensure that PPE is delivered to those who need it. Our priority is ensuring the safety of patients and all health care workers, including dentists. This includes supporting dental wholesalers to stock the equipment needed by general dental practice to safely support practices to restart face to face dental care.
Asked by: Stephen Twigg (Labour (Co-op) - Liverpool, West Derby)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment her Department has made of the effect of the conflict in Yemen on that country's economy; and what steps her Department is taking to support the Yemen economy.
Answered by Alistair Burt
Yemen’s recent economic crisis is one of the biggest risks threatening to tip Yemen into famine, with the Yemeni Riyal losing over 40% of its value between June and October.
The UK’s immediate leadership at the height of the economic crisis in October prevented a worsening of the situation. We worked with the Central Bank of Yemen in releasing $270 million of hard currency, provided by Saudi Arabia, to support importers bringing food staples into the country.
We also successfully pressed for the suspension of unnecessary processes introduced by the Government of Yemen in bringing these goods into the country. This has eased the pressure of price increases and temporarily stabilised the currency - the value of the Riyal has since appreciated, rising from 755 YER per USD to 500 YER per USD.
However, much more remains to be done. The UK is now working with the Government of Yemen to facilitate greater financial transparency, ensure foreign currency is available to commercial importers and rebuild key financial institutions.
Asked by: Liz Saville Roberts (Plaid Cymru - Dwyfor Meirionnydd)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many fires have occurred at HMP Berwyn since its opening.
Answered by Phillip Lee
HMP Berwyn is performing well since it opened last year, and represents a key part of our £1.3billion investment to reform and modernise the prison estate.
We know more must be done to improve safety across the estate, which is why we introduced body-worn cameras and additional CCTV, and have invested £100m to recruit 2,500 extra officers.
The number of concerted indiscipline, incidents at height, fires and dirty protests taking place at HMP Berwyn can be found in the table below:
| Number of incidents |
Concerted Indiscipline1 | 6 |
Incident At Height | 67 |
Fire2 | 17 |
Dirty protest3 | 3 |
|
|
| |
| |
1) All low level incidents
2) Includes 2 fire related incidents that were false alarms
3) To provide incidents of dirty protest, Miscellaneous type incidents were read to determine whether the incident should be counted as such and therefore contain an element of subjective judgement.
Data Sources and Quality
These figures have been drawn from the HMPPS Incident Reporting System. Care is taken when processing and analysing the returns but the detail collected is subject to the inaccuracies inherent in any large scale recording system. Although the figures are shown to the last case the figures may not be accurate to that level.
Since opening in Spring 2017, local data from within HMP Berwyns Security department has recorded 167 referrals to North Wales Police. HMP Berwyn is committed to working with all Criminal Justice partners across Wales.
Asked by: Liz Saville Roberts (Plaid Cymru - Dwyfor Meirionnydd)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what information his Department holds on the number of dirty protests which have occurred at HMP Berwyn since its opening.
Answered by Phillip Lee
HMP Berwyn is performing well since it opened last year, and represents a key part of our £1.3billion investment to reform and modernise the prison estate.
We know more must be done to improve safety across the estate, which is why we introduced body-worn cameras and additional CCTV, and have invested £100m to recruit 2,500 extra officers.
The number of concerted indiscipline, incidents at height, fires and dirty protests taking place at HMP Berwyn can be found in the table below:
| Number of incidents |
Concerted Indiscipline1 | 6 |
Incident At Height | 67 |
Fire2 | 17 |
Dirty protest3 | 3 |
|
|
| |
| |
1) All low level incidents
2) Includes 2 fire related incidents that were false alarms
3) To provide incidents of dirty protest, Miscellaneous type incidents were read to determine whether the incident should be counted as such and therefore contain an element of subjective judgement.
Data Sources and Quality
These figures have been drawn from the HMPPS Incident Reporting System. Care is taken when processing and analysing the returns but the detail collected is subject to the inaccuracies inherent in any large scale recording system. Although the figures are shown to the last case the figures may not be accurate to that level.
Since opening in Spring 2017, local data from within HMP Berwyns Security department has recorded 167 referrals to North Wales Police. HMP Berwyn is committed to working with all Criminal Justice partners across Wales.