Liz Jarvis secures Westminster Debate on Silicosis and says she will “champion tradespeople” in Parliament

Liz Jarvis, the Liberal Democrat MP for Eastleigh, has announced that she has secured a Westminster Hall Debate on Silicosis.

The debate, due to take place on the 2nd June, will give Ms Jarvis the chance to directly debate a Work and Pensions Minister.

Ms Jarvis has spent months campaigning on Silicosis alongside She has campaigned on this issue alongside her constituent Caroline Hudson, whose brother-in-law George Elliott died from the disease in 2023. Ms Jarvis tabled a Presentation Bill back in March calling for measures to make provision for the prevention, monitoring, and reporting of silicosis and other lung diseases caused by occupational exposure to silica dust.

In that Bill, Ms Jarvis also called for a ban on the dry-cutting of high-silica engineered stone, which has been included in updated guidance by the Health and Safety Executive, who have described the cutting as “unacceptable”.

Ms Jarvis has welcomed the news that the debate has been confirmed, and has promised to “champion tradespeople” affected by Silica Dust exposure. She has also highlighted that the new guidance cannot be “a series of meaningless promises” and must be implemented by both businesses and the Government through effective enforcement, monitoring and changes to the law, alongside calling for more efforts to be made to increase both education and awareness of Silicosis.

Commenting, Liz Jarvis MP said:

“I am pleased to have secured a Westminster Debate on Silica Dust exposure, which will give me an opportunity to directly pose several key issues to the Minister.

“These new guidelines cannot be a series of meaningless promises, which is why I will be challenging the Minister on what action is being taken and how exactly this guidance will be implemented.

“Both the Government and businesses have a moral duty to protect people who have worked with Silica Dust. Every death from Silicosis is a preventable tragedy.

“I will continue to champion tradespeople in Parliament, both in my constituency and around the country.”