§ Mr. Maddenasked the Secretary of State for Employment if the Health and Safety Commission has authorised any member of the Commission to perform on behalf of the Commisstion any of its functions; and, if so, what are those functions and on what date the authorisation was granted.
§ Mr. John GrantI am informed by the Chairman of the Health and Safety Commission that the Commission normally conducts its business and takes decisions as a body. It has, however, authorised the Chairman, or in his absence the Deputy Chairman, to put proposals to the Secretary of State in respect of regulations under the Mines and Quarries Act 1954 which modify the requirements of the regulations in respect of particular mines and which are agreed with both ends of the industry. This decision was made on 17th August 1976.
On 21st September 1976, the Commission decided that in cases of urgency the Chairman, or in his absence, the Deputy Chairman, could give a direction to the Executive to carry out investigations under Section 14(2)(a) of the Health and Safety at Work Act.
§ Mr. Maddenasked the Secretary of State for Employment which of the Health and Safety Commission's functions the Commission has directed the Health and Safety Executive to exercise on its behalf; and on what date or dates those directions were given.
§ Mr. John GrantI refer my hon. Friend to paragraph 7 of the first report made to my right hon. Friend under paragraph 14 of Schedule 2 to the Health and Safety at Work etc., Act 1974 in which the Commission described the arrangements made on 1st January 1975, for the Health and Safety Executive to discharge its functions.
I am informed by the Chairman of the Commission that these arrangements were embodied in a formal direction to the 37W Executive on 20th July 1976. The Commission further directed the Executive to take on behalf of the Commission such steps as are necessary to maintain the Employment Medical Advisory Service under Section 56 of the Act.
In the normal course of its business the Commission is continually giving instructions to the Executive to prepare proposals for the decision of the Commission and to carry out decisions of the Commission—for example, to consult interested parties on its behalf on proposals for regulations, and soon, to carry out functions in accordance with agreements reached with Government Departments and other bodies under Section 13 of the Health and Safety at Work etc., Act.
If my hon. Friend would let me know which function he has in mind, I shall be pleased to provide him with details.