§ Mr. Kinnockasked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will introduce legislation which will extend the Factory Acts to include hazards arising from pollution at places of employment.
§ Mr. Dudley SmithNo. The present Act covers such hazards to the employed. So far as the general public is concerned, the responsibility lies with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment or with the local authority. The authority concerned co-operates in appropriate ways on particular cases.
§ Mr. Kinnockasked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list his 149W powers to bring proceedings against firms whose works doctors have notified them of illness among employees arising from polluted or contaminated materials or atmosphere at the place of work.
§ Mr. Dudley SmithThere are no powers under the Factories Act to bring proceedings against firms as a direct result of the notification of illness among employees resulting from polluted or contaminated materials or atmosphere at the place of work. Sixteen industrial diseases are, however, notifiable to the Chief Inspector of Factories by virtue of Section 82 of the Factories Act. If, after receipt of notification of an industrial disease, there appears to the inspector to be aprima facie breach of legal requirements, consideration is given to proceedings under the relevant section of the Factories Act and regulations by virtue of Section 155 of the Act.