§ Mr. Parryasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on his plans to reduce unemployment in the construction industry in Northern Ireland.
§ Mr. ButlerThe Government are well aware of the importance of the construction industry to the Northern Ireland economy and we have borne this in mind when deciding upon the Northern Ireland public expenditure allocations for 1984–85 which were announced to the House today. The precise split between current and capital expenditure underlying these allocations will not be known until the Northern Ireland Departments and the Northern Ireland Office complete their work on the main Estimates 445W for 1984–85 but I would expect planned capital expenditure next year to exceed £600 million and to represent a real increase over this year's final figure.
This amount covers capital expenditure on both construction projects and on grants and loans to the private sector, which should help to provide employment in the construction industry. When coupled with current expenditure on maintenance, I would expect these resources to make a worthwhile contribution to reducing unemployment in the construction industry.
§ Mr. Parryasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he is satisfied with the current legislation on lump labour in the construction industry in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Chris PattenI assume that the hon. Member is referring to the construction industry tax deduction scheme, which was introduced by the Finance (No. 2) Act 1975. The operation of the scheme is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer.
§ Mr. Parryasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he has any plans to introduce legislation to outlaw labour-only subcontracting in the construction industry in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Chris PattenI shall reply to the hon. Member as soon as possible.
§ Mr. Parryasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many inspectors were employed in the construction industry in Northern Ireland in November 1978; and what was the figure at the latest available date.
§ Mr. ButlerFive inspectors were employed by the Factory Inspectorate in Northern Ireland in November 1978 to carry out inspection and enforcement duties in the construction industry. Five inspectors are now employed by the Health and Safety Inspectorate in Northern Ireland to carry out the same duties.
§ Mr. Parryasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he is satisfied with the standard of health and safety in the construction industry in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. ButlerWhile one can never be completely satisfied with the situation in any industry so long as workers continue to be killed and injured, building and civil engineering workers in Northern Ireland do receive protection comparable to that which is provided to workers under health and safety legislation in the rest of the United Kingdom.
The Government have pledged their full support to the "Sit Safe '83" campaign which has been introduced in Great Britain and Northern Ireland and which is aimed at changing people's attitudes in the construction industry towards safer working practices. The Health and Safety Agency for Northern Ireland has accepted responsibility for promoting the campaign in Northern Ireland and is receiving the active support of the construction division of the Health and Safety Inspectorate.
§ Mr. Parryasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many construction workers were employed in the construction industry in Northern Ireland at the latest available date; and what was the figure for June 1979.
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§ Mr. ButlerThe number of construction workers employed in the construction industry in Northern Ireland at June 1983 was 24,920. The corresponding figure for June 1979 was 37,150.
§ Mr. Parryasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many construction workers have suffered (a) serious and (b) minor injuries in Northern Ireland in each of the past five years to the latest date.
§ Mr. ButlerThe number of accidents involving injury to construction workers in Northern Ireland, at all places within the scope of the Factories Act (Northern Ireland) 1965 is as follows:
Number 1979 710 1980 720 1981 491 The system of reporting of accidents which was in force during the years referred to did not distinguish between minor and serious injuries.
The number of accidents involving injury to construction workers in Northern Ireland statutorily reported to the Health and Safety Inspectorate for 1982, and 1983 to date, was as follows:
1982 1983 Major injuries 45 27 Minor injuries 1,117 294 Total accidents 1,162 321 Owing to changes made by the Department of Health and Social Services in the industrial injuries benefit scheme, which came into effect on 1 April 1983 there is now no statutory requirement to report minor injuries to the Health and Safety Inspectorate and this is reflected in the 1983 accident statistics given above.
§ Mr. Parryasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many workers have been killed in the construction industry in Northern Ireland in each of the last five years to the latest date.
§ Mr. ButlerThe number of fatal accidents to employees in the construction industry in Northern Ireland reported to the Health and Safety Inspectorate for the years 1979 to 1982, and 1983 to date, is as follows:
Number 1979 8 1980 2 1981 3 1982 2 1983 1