← Back to Westminster Hall Debates
National Accident Prevention Strategy
28 April 2026
Lead MP
Andrew Mitchell
Sutton Coldfield
Con
Responding Minister
Lilian Greenwood
Tags
Social CareEconomyEmploymentTransportAgriculture & Rural Affairs
Word Count: 7672
Other Contributors: 7
At a Glance
Andrew Mitchell raised concerns about national accident prevention strategy in Westminster Hall. A government minister responded.
Key Requests to Government:
Mitchell called for a national accident prevention strategy led by the Cabinet Office to co-ordinate efforts across various departments. He requested that Becky Hickman and RoSPA produce a report outlining what such a strategy might look like, based on clear principles including ministerial leadership, focus on prevention, better data use, prioritizing those at risk, and sustained public education.
How the Debate Unfolded
MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said:
Lead Contributor
Andrew Mitchell highlighted the growing crisis of preventable accidents in the UK, citing a significant rise in accidental death rates and hospital admissions. He noted that Birmingham experiences one of the highest numbers of accidental deaths annually, with over 550 families losing loved ones each year due to preventable accidents. Nationally, accidental death rates have increased by more than 40% over the past decade. Mitchell emphasized the human cost of these tragedies and the strain they place on healthcare services and the economy.
Adam Dance
Lib Dem
Yeovil
Mr Adam Dance pointed out the unique challenges face [4D [K faced by rural communities in accident prevention, including isolation, poo [3D [K poor signal coverage, dangerous roads, and agriculture as Britain's most pe [2D [K perilous industry. He urged that any national strategy must address ruralit [7D [K rurality with adequate public health funding.
Edward Morello
Lib Dem
West Dorset
Mr Edward Morello discussed the fatal accident invol [5D [K involving Benedict Solly on the A37 near Cerne Abbas. He argued that decisi [6D [K decision-making based solely on historical collision data is inadequate and [3D [K and called for a wider dataset to inform preventive interventions.
Greg Smith
Con
Mid Buckinghamshire
He highlighted the need for a national accident prev [4D [K prevention strategy that extends beyond road safety to include other areas [K such as falls and workplace accidents. He noted that while transport-relate [16D [K transport-related accidents have fallen by 17% over two decades, fall incid [5D [K incidents among elderly constituents are up by 90%, making up 46% of all ac [2D [K accidents.
Jim Shannon
DUP
Strangford
Jim Shannon highlighted the rise in fatal accidents [K in Northern Ireland, noting a rate of 39 deaths per 100,000 compared to the [3D [K the UK average of 34. He emphasised that almost 900,000 people are admitted [8D [K admitted to hospital annually due to accidents and stressed that those livi [4D [K living in deprived areas are nearly twice as likely to be killed in an acci [4D [K accident. Shannon discussed specific risks on farms, such as falls from roo [3D [K roofs and exposure to toxic gases like slurry tank fumes.
Joe Morris
Lab
Hexham
Emphasised the unique challenges of rural areas in a [1D [K accident prevention and called for appropriate steps to be taken in road sa [2D [K safety and workplace safety.
Lee Pitcher
Labour [7D [K (Labour
Doncaster East and the Isle of Axholme
Mr Lee Pitcher highlighted a gap in water safety int [3D [K interventions, which are often reactive rather than preventive. He mentione [8D [K mentioned the tragic death of a young boy in Yorkshire and is working on Sa [2D [K Sam's law to develop a clear, risk-based approach for water safety. Asked the Minister to remember those lost at work on [2D [K on International Workers' Memorial Day, promoting strong mental health inte [4D [K interventions for employers.
Sarah Olney
Lib Dem
Richmond Park
Sarah Olney highlighted the importance of mitigating [10D [K mitigating road traffic collisions and water safety risks, especially aroun [5D [K around Teddington lock on the River Thames. She mentioned a fatal incident [K at Sunbury to warn young people about the dangers of playing near locks. Ol [2D [K Olney also praised the British Standards Institution for its work in develo [6D [K developing standards that mitigate accident risk. She called for a national [8D [K national accident prevention strategy as advocated by the Royal Society for [3D [K for the Prevention of Accidents, and stressed the need for investment in pu [2D [K public health initiatives to enhance wellbeing and reduce NHS burdens.
Government Response
Lilian Greenwood
Government Response
It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Dr Murrison. I thank the right hon. Member for Sutton Coldfield (Sir Andrew Mitchell) for securing this debate. I am pleased to respond on behalf of the Government. The Minister responsible for road safety acknowledged the impact of accidents and fatalities on individuals and their families, paying tribute to the right hon. Gentleman's efforts in raising awareness. She highlighted the multi-faceted nature of accident prevention across various sectors such as roads, housing, health, workplace safety, education, and product regulation. The Department for Transport published a new road safety strategy with ambitious targets to reduce fatalities by 65% and serious injuries by 70% for children by 2035. The Minister outlined several measures including consultations on minimum learning periods, lower drink-drive limits, mandatory eyesight testing, harnessing technology and data, strengthening enforcement, and implementing a national road safety board. She also addressed housing safety improvements through the decent homes standard, new fines for landlords with serious hazards, and actions on recommendations from the Grenfell inquiry report to build a more robust regulatory system. In health, falls technologies were highlighted as promising in reducing falls by up to 49% in care homes. The Employment Rights Act 2025 was mentioned as an upgrade to workers' rights, including statutory sick pay from day one and limits on non-disclosure agreements to promote learning instead of silencing incidents. The Minister also discussed workplace safety initiatives like public awareness campaigns for ladder and power tool use, and the importance of health and safety representatives in trade unions. She acknowledged the risks in agriculture and construction, particularly rural areas, emphasizing the need for targeted interventions. Educational settings were addressed through food safety advice webpages and choking prevention measures. The Minister concluded by paying tribute to charities, volunteers, and campaigners involved in accident prevention, noting the human and economic costs highlighted by RoSPA's annual review.
▸
Assessment & feedback
Summary accuracy
About Westminster Hall Debates
Westminster Hall debates are a chance for MPs to raise important issues affecting their constituents and get a response from a government minister. Unlike Prime Minister's Questions, these debates are more in-depth and collaborative. The MP who secured the debate speaks first, other MPs can contribute, and a minister responds with the government's position.