Written questions by Khan.

Whether her Department plans to review the current exemption for Local Authorities from Financial Conduct Authority regulation for pre-need funeral and cremation services.

Awaiting answer.

What steps her Department is taking to ensure that people who purchase pre-paid funeral services from a Local Authority outside of current Financial Conduct Authority and Competitions and Markets Authority regulatio

Awaiting answer.

What representations he made to his Indian counterpart on the release of Jagtar Singh Johal during his delegation's visit to India.

The Secretary of State was in India for a very short period to progress trade discussions only. We continue to raise concerns about Mr Johal’s prolonged detention at every appropriate opportunity with the Government of India, and the Foreign Secretary did...

Whether the Government plans to introduce a statutory prohibition on dry cutting of high-silica engineered stone without appropriate dust suppression measures.

Workers can be protected if the right control measures are in place to prevent exposure to harmful dust. The Health and Safety Executive will be carrying out more than 1000 inspections and where standards are not met, enforcement action is being taken to ...

Whether additional funding has been allocated to the Health and Safety Executive to support inspections and enforcement activity in engineered stone workshops and related workplaces.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) receives funding from the Department to support its role as workplace health and safety regulator. It is for HSE to prioritise how best to use that funding to support its core activities. HSE has identified resource f...

Whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of the introduction of an industry-wide (a) accreditation and (b) kitemark scheme for the safe fabrication of engineered stone products.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) supports the introduction of an industry-led quality standard by the Worktop Fabricators Federation in collaboration with the British Occupational Hygiene Society. Accredited fabricators must be independently audited ...

Whether he plans to make silicosis a reportable disease under the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013.

On 7 April 2026, the Health and Safety Executive launched a consultation seeking views on expanding the requirements in the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013, including reintroducing reports of pneumoconiosis, whic...

Communities and Local Government, whether he plans to introduce workplace safety considerations into procurement standards relating to engineered stone products used in publicly funded developments.

Recognising this question could apply to any publicly funded building, Contracting Authorities can already apply relevant workplace safety considerations where relevant to publicly procured contracts, including for engineered stone products. Where such ma...

Whether his Department is considering the introduction of a national screening programme for workers exposed to silica dust in the engineered stone industry.

Active health surveillance is a mandatory duty placed upon relevant duty holders under health and safety law, which will detect and tackle ill health amongst workers who may be exposed. Employers are required to act on the results they receive and workers...

What guidance is provided to staff handling Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit claims involving terminally ill claimants with occupational lung disease.

DWP staff handling Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit claims follow operational guidance designed to ensure that claims from people who are terminally ill are identified and processed as a priority. The guidance provides for such cases to be expedite...

What discussions his Department has had with industry representatives on improving consumer awareness of workplace safety standards in the manufacture of quartz and engineered stone kitchen surfaces.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is working closely with the Worktop Fabricators Federation and British Occupational Hygiene Society to support introduction of an industry-led quality standard. To display the quality mark, a kitchen surface fabricato...

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 no...

What steps the Government is taking to help ensure compliance with Health and Safety Executive guidance prohibiting dry cutting of engineered stone without water suppression controls.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has launched a campaign to highlight clear expectations for what businesses must do in recently published guidance and on HSEs Workright website. HSE will be carrying out more than 1000 inspections to every site it ca...

What assessment he has made of the adequacy of the Health and Safety Executive’s enforcement powers in relation to employers exposing workers to respirable crystalline silica dust during the cutting of

Great Britain has a robust and well-established regulatory framework to protect workers from health risks arising from exposure to hazardous substances, including respirable crystalline silica under the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulation...

What estimate he has made of the number of workers exposed to respirable crystalline silica dust in the engineered stone sector.

Great Britain has a robust and well-established regulatory framework to protect workers from health risks arising from exposure to hazardous substances, including respirable crystalline silica under the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulation...

What assessment his Department has made of the prevalence of silicosis among workers employed in the engineered stone and kitchen fabrication sector.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) monitors silicosis using multiple data sources, including voluntary reporting by chest physicians participating in the Surveillance of Work-related and Occupational Respiratory Disease (SWORD) scheme and cases assesse...

Whether he plans to fast-track Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit claims for workers diagnosed with advanced silicosis in line with arrangements for mesothelioma sufferers.

The Department recognises the serious impact that silicosis can have on those affected and their families. We are carefully considering the recommendations from the Industrial Injuries Advisory Council on silicosis, including how best to identify and prio...

What recent consideration his Department has given to recommendations from the Industrial Injuries Advisory Council on improving access to compensation and benefits for workers with silicosis.

The Department recognises the serious impact that silicosis can have on those affected and their families. We are carefully considering the recommendations from the Industrial Injuries Advisory Council on silicosis, including how best to identify and prio...

What assessment his Department has made of trends in the level of silicosis among workers employed in the engineered stone and kitchen fabrication sector.

I refer the Hon. Member to answer I gave on 23 June 2026 to Question UIN 5634.

What steps her Department is taking to ensure that schools fulfil duties under Section 100 of the Children and Families Act 2014 in relation to pupils with asthma.

Section 100 of the Children and Families Act 2014 places a duty on maintained schools, academies and pupil referral units in England to make arrangements for supporting pupils with medical conditions. The accompanying statutory guidance makes clear to sch...