HC Deb 01 December 1987 vol 123 cc500-2W
Mr. Meacher

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish in theOfficial Report (a) the number of imprisonments, (b) the number of prosecutions and average fines and (c) the number of improvement and prohibition notices issued under the various asbestos regulations for each year from 1983 to the latest available date.

Mr. Nicholls

(a) One person was given a suspended prison sentence in 1987. To date no persons have actually been imprisoned as a result of contravening asbestos regulations.

(b) Prosecutions taken by HM factory inspectorate and HM agricultural inspectorate 1983 to 1986–87. Figures for 1986–87 are provisional.

and the average fines and (b) the number of licences issued and the number withdrawn under the Asbestos (Licensing) Regulations 1983, for each year from 1983 to the latest available date.

Mr. Nicholls

(a) The table shows the number of informations laid and average fines under the Asbestos (Licensing) Regulations 1983 to the latest available date. Figures for 1986–87 are provisional.

Year Informations laid Average fine
1983
1984 2 500
1985 80 428
1986 (January–March) 15 293
1986–87 (April–March) 43 368

(b) The table below shows the number of licences issued and the number withdrawn under the Asbestos (Licensing) Regulations 1983 to the latest available date.

Appeals Withdrawn Dismissed completely Dismissed with modification Upheld
1985
HSE plus HSC Agencies 41 31 5 2 3
Local authorities 72 55 13 4
Total 113 86 18 6 3
1986 (January–March)
HSE plus HSC Agencies 14 10 3 1
Local authorities 17 17
Total 31 27 3 1

The above figures relate to England and Wales only and to cases actually dealt with in the period, rather than to new registrations.

The number of applications to industrial tribunals registered under the Safety Representatives and Safety Committees Regulations 1977 for each year from 1984 to the latest available date is as follows:

Applications 1984 1985 1986 l1987
Failure to pay for time off 6 4 4 2
Failure to pay for time off 4 2 1 1
Total 10 6 5 3
1 January to October.

No prosecutions under the Safety Representatives and Safety Committees Regulations were taken by inspectors of the Health and Safety Executive in the period from 1984 to the present.

Mr. Meacher

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish in theOfficial Report (a) the number of convictions on indictment, and the average fine, for each year from 1984 to the latest available date, under the Health and Safety at Work, etc. Act 1984 and (b) the number of registered premises, workplace visits, accidents investigated and the number of improvement

Year Number of licences issued Number of licences revoked
1983 0 0
1983 1,313 0
1985 1,588 (including 1,017 renewals) 1
1986 936 (including 608 renewals) 2
1987 420 (including 217 renewals) (up to 30 October) 2