Meeting of the Parliament 18 April 2024
Absolutely.
It seems strange that we have a current UK industrial injuries system with a UK advisory council with medical experts, trade unionists and people with lived experience on it advising Government while, in devolving the system, we cut out trade unionists, workers and people with lived experience and somehow pretend that this Parliament is a more progressive place than big, bad Westminster. It is clearly not. It is clearly failing workers, those with lived experience and those who absolutely deserve a seat at the table in order to make sure that this newly devolved benefit is fit for purpose.
The only reason for opposing the bill that I have heard from the Government is that it is not the right time. I absolutely cannot accept or understand that argument at all. The Government must devise and publish a business case on the devolution and introduction of this new benefit, in line with its agreement with the Department for Work and Pensions, for the end of March 2025. That is less than a year away.
How can the Government expect to create a business case to devise a fairer system for those who become ill or injured at work without the very people who become injured and ill at work being around the table to set up the new benefit, set out what the entitlement criteria should be and design the system from day 1? It is a huge omission.