HC Deb 17 March 1981 vol 1 cc68-9W
Mr. Greville Janner

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many employers and how many employees, respectively, have been prosecuted under sections 2 and 3, respectively, of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 during each of the 12-month periods since that Act came into force; and with what result.

Mr. Waddington

Employees are not liable for prosecution under sections 2 and 3 of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. The following table covers prosecutions by the Health and Safety Executive under sections 2 and 3. Full corresponding information is not available about prosecutions by local authorities. The analysis is by informations rather than cases; one case can cover a number of informations.

not mutually exclusive; only limited information is available about local authority prosecutions; and the analysis of Health and Safety Executive prosecutions is in terms of informations laid rather than cases—one case can cover a number of informations. The available information is shown below.

Prosecutions by HSE inspectors* under section 6 of the Health and Safety at Work, etc. Act 1974
Informations
Laid Convictions Withdrawn Dismissed
1975 3 3
1976 11 11
1977 28 23 5
1978 32 23 3 6
1979 28 22 5 1
1980 (January to November) 25 22 3
* Based on HMFI and HMAI records; there may also have been a few prosecutions under this section by other HSE inspectorates.