Offshore Installations (Hansard, 25 March 1991)

§ 5. Mr. Doran
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when he last met representatives of offshore trade unions to discuss safety on offshore installations.

§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Energy (Mr. Colin Moynihan)
My right hon. Friend and I met representatives of the Trades Union Congress, together with representatives of a number of trade unions, on 12 February 1991.

§ Mr. Doran
The Minister will be aware how seriously trade unions take the question of safety, but is he aware that the Scottish Trades Union Congress, with support from offshore unions, has established a training course for health and safety representatives? Will he encourage oil companies and other offshore employers to use the facilities offered by that course? We await the ministerial announcement on the transfer of responsibility from the Department of Energy to the Health and Safety Executive and wonder whether the Minister can give us a progress report.

§ Mr. Moynihan
I welcome any project that involves trade unions in improved training and I wish them well with the projects to which the hon. Gentleman referred. I understand that the Health and Safety Commission will formally consider a proposal regarding the transfer at a meeting tomorrow. I hope that an announcement will be forthcoming shortly thereafter regarding a possible transfer in April.

§ Mr. Patrick Thompson
Will my hon. Friend confirm that every employee involved in the offshore oil industry should be involved in safety in every possible way? Will he also confirm that that has been enshrined in recent regulations?

§ Mr. Moynihan
I can confirm that. The safety committees are intended to allow for full and active involvement of the work force as an essential formulation for improvements in safety, irrespective of whether the work force is unionised or non-unionised.

Mr. Robert Hughes
Does the Minister recall our recent debate on Piper Alpha and Lord Cullen's report during which many specific instances were given of people being elected to safety committees and then suddenly losing their jobs? As he promised to investigate allegations of victimization—and some were made—has he checked them out? Will he confirm that it would be much better if there were proper trade union representatives to give their backing to safety?

§ Mr. Moynihan
The hon. Gentleman will recall that I promised on that occasion to take up any specific case. That promise remains on the table. I have received no details of specific cases, but I should be only too happy to take up an individual request and respond to it fully.
In answer to the hon. Gentleman's first point, Lord Cullen also recommended measures along the lines suggested by the hon. Gentleman that safety representatives should he given protection against unfair dismissal. We agree with that conclusion and we shall implement it accordingly.