Corporate report

Internal DWP Review of the Industrial Injuries Advisory Council 2023

Published 11 January 2024

Introduction

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) completed an internal review of the Industrial Injuries Advisory Council in 2023 as part of the Government’s Public Bodies Review Programme. This included a Self-Assessment and a small number of interviews with key officials and Council members.

The feedback DWP received during the review was overwhelmingly positive and the Department would like to express its thanks to the Chair and Council members for their enthusiasm, dedication, commitment to their roles. The findings and recommendations set out below are intended to enhance and support the effective organisational arrangements already in place. There was no indication a full Independent Review is required at this stage.

Overview of IIAC

The Industrial Injuries Advisory Council (IIAC) is an Advisory non-departmental public body (NDPB) which provides expert scientific advice to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (DWP) in Great Britain and the Department for Communities (DfC) in Northern Ireland about the Industrial Injuries Scheme.

The Industrial Injuries Scheme provides no-fault benefits to employed earners who become sick or injured because of their job. The principal benefit of the Scheme is Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit (IIDB), which can be claimed by those whose employment caused one of the diseases which the scheme covers.

IIAC’s functions are set out in sections 171 to 173 of the Social Security Administration Act 1992 and corresponding Northern Ireland legislation. These are:

• to consider and advise on matters relating to Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit or its administration referred to it by the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions in Great Britain or the DfC in Northern Ireland
• to advise on any other matter relating to the Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit or its administration
• to consider and provide advice on any draft regulations the Secretary of State proposes to make on Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit or its administration

The Council’s role is purely advisory. IIAC considers whether a disease meets the conditions set out in legislation for it to be included in the list of prescribed diseases for which people can claim IIDB. It then advises the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions of its findings through published reports.

Members include independent experts from the field of occupational medicine, representatives of employers and representatives of employees. IIAC is supported by a Secretariat, provided by DWP, who also provide the Departmental partnership function for IIAC. DWP also provides a small administration budget of £55,000 (2023/24), which is managed by the Secretariat.

Process

This review was conducted by DWP’s Arms’ Length Bodies Partnership Division between August and September 2023. Evidence was collected from written material supplied by IIAC and the DWP’s ALB Partnership team, as well as interviews with IIAC members, key stakeholders, and civil servants from the DWP’s ALB Partnership division.

All the evidence was highly positive about IIAC and the role it fulfils. For a nominal amount of public money, it delivers high quality, well thought out recommendations to the Secretary of State based on the highest standards of research and analysis.

Recommendations

The review makes seven, relatively small, recommendations. These are set out below with a brief paragraph giving the context behind each recommendation.

To bring IIAC governance in line with other DWP ALBs, there is a need for a concise framework document that sets out the expectations on DWP Ministers, officials and Council members to ensure appropriate Governance arrangements in place.

1. The DWP Partner team/Secretariat and Chair to produce an appropriate, brief framework document that outlines the expectations of Council members relating to all interactions - with each other and with DWP contacts.

The Council undertakes a substantial amount of research with members often going beyond the requirements of their role in order to provide robust, evidence-based recommendations to the Secretary of State. There is minimal funding in place for research activity at present, and a relatively small amount of funding would enable better and quicker research activity by the Council.

2. The DWP Partner team/Secretariat to produce a business case for an appropriate research fund in consultation with the IIAC Chair.

The IIAC Chair only meets the Minister for Disabled People on an occasional, ad-hoc basis at present. Scheduling an annual meeting would enable the Chair to provide formal updates on the work of the Council and ensure Ministers are sighted on its forward work plan.

3. The DWP Partner team/Secretariat to liaise with Minister for Disabled People’s Private Office with a view to establishing an annual meeting with the IIAC Chair, in addition to current ad hoc arrangements.

The work of IIAC is a specialised area and therefore not well known outside of a specific group of stakeholders. Some simple measures could readily raise awareness and ensure the Council gets the recognition it merits.

4. The DWP Partner team/Secretariat to support the Chair in identifying options for raising the profile of IIAC.

Currently, all IIAC meetings are at DWP’s offices in London, with provision to join online. Given that members of the Council are from all parts of the UK, and the need to have government business conducted outside of London where feasible, consideration should be given to holding meetings elsewhere.

5. The DWP Partner team/Secretariat to consider options for future meetings outside of London, including ways to enable observers to attend.

Attendance fees have not been increased for many years and are not reflective of current costs or fees paid for similar roles on other advisory bodies. This could be acting as a disincentive to new prospective members of the Council.

6. The DWP Partner team/Secretariat to seek approval for an increase to IIAC members attendance fees.

Feedback during the review consistently suggests that there are increased pressures on members to meet the demands of the role. For example, there are only two employer and employee side representatives at present (where previously there were three members of each).

7. IIAC Chair and DWP Partner team/Secretariat to jointly monitor and keep under review the membership of the Council with a focus on strengthening flexibility and continuity as regards the input of employer, employee, and specialist medical knowledge.