HC Deb 19 February 1982 vol 18 cc250-3W
Mr. Greville Janner

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many prosecutions have been brought during each year since 1974 under sections 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 of the Health and Safety at Work Act etc. 1974; how many and what percentage of such prosecutions were brought against companies, directors, managers, company secretaries or employees, respectively; and with what results in each such category.

Mr. Waddington

The only readily available information about prosecutions which has been broken down under sections of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act relates to prosecutions taken by the Factory Inspectorate. This is shown in the following table and covers the majority of prosecutions taken by the HSE. The analysis is by information rather than cases; one case can cover a number of informations.

Prosecutions taken by HM Factory Inspectorate under the Health and Safety at work Act 1974
Year and Section Of Act Employers
Informations Results
No Per cent. Convictions Results Withdrawn Dismissed
1975
2 54 98 52 1 1
3 6 100 4 1 1
4 4 100 4
6 3 100 3
7
1976
2 184 100 164 8 12
3 36 100 32 1 3
4 9 100 4 1 4
6 11 100 11
7
1977
2 344 99 303 25 16
3 45 100 39 3 3
4 24 100 15 8 1
6 26 100 22 4
7
1978
2 326 99 280 23 23
3 66 100 58 2 6
4 19 100 17 1 1
6 29 94 20 3 6
7
1979
2 263 99 221 22 20
3 64 100 51 6 7
4 23 92 21 2
6 29 100 23 5 1
7
1980
2 261 99 232 15 14
3 71 99 57 6 8
4 39 100 34 2 3
6 27 100 24 3
7
Year and Section of Act Directors
Informations Results
No per cent Convictions Results withdrawn Dismissed
1975
2 1 2 1
3
4
6
7
1976
2
3
4
6
7
1977
2 1 + 1
3
4
6
7
1978
2 3 1 3
3
4
6 2 6 2
7
Year and Section of Act Directors
Informations Results
No per cent Convictions withdrawn Dismissed
1979
2
3
4 2 8 2
6
7
1980 2 1 3
2
3 1 1 1
4
6
7
Year and Section of Act Managers
Informations Results
No per cent Convictions withdrawn Dismissed
1975
2
3
4
6
7
1976
2
3
4
6
7
1977
2 1 + 1
3
4
6
7
1978
2
3
4
6
7
1979
2
3
4
6
7
1980
2
3
4
6
7
Year and Section of Act Employees
Informations Results
No Per cent. Withdrawn Dismissed
1975
2
3
4
6
7 2 100 2
Year and Section of Act Employees
Informations Results
No Per cent. Withdrawn Dismissed
1976
2
3
4
6
7 12 100 9 2 1
1977
2
3
4
6
7 20 100 23 2
1978
2
3
4
6
7 23 100 23
1979
2 2 1 1 1
3
4
6
7 37 100 35 2
1980
2
3
4
6
7 38 100 35 3

Notes: No prosecutions were taken under section 5 of the Act. Some information laid under sections 36 and 37 of the Act have been included as they involved offences against sections 2 to 7. + Less than half the final digit shown.