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Written question asked by Ayoub Khan (Independent (affiliation)) on Monday, 1 June 2026, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 3 June 2026. It was answered by Stephen Timms (Labour) on Tuesday, 23 June 2026 on behalf of the Department for Work and Pensions.


Silicosis

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment his Department has made of the prevalence of silicosis among workers employed in the engineered stone and kitchen fabrication sector.

Answer

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 assessed under the Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit (IIDB), which together inform its annual statistics on silicosis.

HSE continues to work closely with medical experts and industry bodies such as the Worktop Fabricators Federation and the British Occupational Hygiene society, to understand the wider perspective.


Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
5634
Session
2026-27
Subjects
Construction Silicosis Stone (material)
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk