PARLIAMENTARY EARLY DAY MOTION
WORKERS' MEMORIAL DAY (26 April 2011)

That this House welcomes the fact that Workers' Memorial Day on 28 April is an internationally recognised day which commemorates those who have died, been seriously injured, or made seriously ill by their work; notes with regret that according to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) last year 1.3 million people suffered from a long-standing or new illness caused by or made worse by their work, 152 workers were killed at work and thousands of people died of mesothelioma and occupational cancers and lung diseases; recognises that the real figures are likely to be much higher as many work-related incidents are not included in the HSE's headline statistics; deeply laments that people are still dying, being seriously injured or made ill simply as a result of carrying out their day-to-day job often as a result of health and safety failingsby employers; further notes the estimated cost of around 30 billion per year to the economy of poor workplace health and safety and that this burden is borne heavily by workers and their families; expresses concern at the budget cuts faced by the HSE of around 35 per cent. and the Government's proposals contained in Common Safety - progress report; reaffirms the right of all workers to work in a safe and healthy workplace; and therefore calls on the Government to make Workers' Memorial Day a public holiday and to ensure that the HSE is adequately resourced in order to stop more people dying or receiving injuries or being made ill unnecessarily.

Sponsored by:
John McDonnell (Labour)