§ Mr. Andrew F. BennettTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the total number of(a) qualified factory inspectors and (b) trainee factory inspectors, employed by the Health and Safety Executive for the latest date for which information is available; what this is expected to be by March 1989 if current recruitment intentions are followed; and what percentage of factory inspectors were or will be trainee inspectors, at each date.
§ Mr. NichollsOn 1 December 1988 484 qualified factory inspectors and 78 trainee factory inspectors were employed in the Health and Safety Executive's factory inspectorate. In addition 50 qualified factory inspectors were employed elsewhere in HSE. The number of inspectors in post at the end of the financial year will depend both on the timing of individual recruitment and on whether unforeseen wastage occurs. The executive's objective is to reach a target of 588 inspectors in post in the inspectorate early in the next financial year.