§ Mr. Rookerasked the Secretary of State for Employment whether any local authorities have informed him that their 412W resources are inadequate properly to operate the Petroleum (Consolidation) Act 1928.
§ Mr. Harold WalkerI am advised by the Chairman of the Health and Safety Commission that no indication has been given to the commission that any local authority regards its resources as inadequate to carry out its functions under the Petroleum (Consolidation) Act 1928.
§ Mr. Rookerasked the Secretary of State for Employment how many appeals his Department received in each of the past five years under Section 3 of the Petroleum (Consolidation) Act 1928; and how many were upheld.
§ Mr. Harold WalkerI am advised by the Chairman of the Health and Safety Commission that appeals under Section 3 of the Petroleum (Consolidation) Act 1928 made during the years 1970 to 1974 inclusive were as follows:
Year Appeals Upheld 1970 … … 23 10 1971 … … 5 2 1972 … … 9 4 1973 … … 11 3 1974 … … 12 — The Health and Safety Commission assumed responsibility for the administration of the Petroleum (Consolidation) Act 1928 on 1st January 1975. The figures above relate to a period during which responsibility for the administration of the Act lay with the Home Office.
§ Mr. Rookerasked the Secretary of State for Employment how many prosecutions have been made under Section 1 of the Petroleum (Consolidation) Act 1928 in each of the past five years.
§ Mr. Harold WalkerProsecutions under Section 1 of the Petroleum (Consolidation) Act 1928 are made by the local authorities responsible for licensing under that section. I am advised by the Chairman of the Commission that no central record of prosecutions is maintained and he is, therefore, unable to supply the information sought by my hon. Friend.