HC Deb 22 December 1988 vol 144 cc457-8W
Mr. Andrew F. Bennett

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what charges were made by the Health and Safety Executive to the organisers of the conference comprising representatives of private fee-paying schools held in the conference room of the health and safety area office at Quay house, Quay street, Manchester, on 23 November 1988 for the use of (i) the premises, (ii) equipment, (iii) refreshments and (iv) Health and Safety Executive staff time.

Mr. Nicholls

None.

Mr. Worthington

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what changes in the staffing levels of the Health and Safety Executive have been effected in Scotland since 1980.

Mr. Nicholls

The total number of Health and Safety Executive staff employed in Scotland in each year since 1980 was as follows:

1 January Number
1980 231
1981 225
1982 208
1983 200
1984 193
1985 187
1986 176
1987 176
1988 177

On 1 December 1988, the total was 166.

Mr. Worthington

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what changes in the staffing levels of the Health and Safety Executive have been effected in Britain, excluding Scotland, since 1980.

Mr. Nicholls

The total number of Health and Safety Executive staff employed in Britain, excluding Scotland, in each year since 1980 was as follows (1 January figures):

Number
1980 3,987
1981 3,841
1982 3,631
1983 3,536
1984 3,525
1985 3,524
1986 3,463
1987 3,521
1988 3,324

On 1 December 1988 the total was 3,359.

Mr. Worthington

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many workplace inspections were carried out by the inspectorate of the Health and Safety Executive in the Scotland, west area for the years 1981 to 1987.

Mr. Nicholls

The information requested is not available for the years 1981 to 1984.

The following table shows the number of workplace inspection visits made by the Health and Safety Executive's factory and agricultural inspectorates in the Scotland, west area for each year from 1985 to 1988:

Year1 Number of visits
1985–86 9,464
1986–87 9,083
1987–88 9,586
1 1 April—31 March.

Mr. Worthington

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if any changes are planned for the staffing levels of the two Scottish areas of the inspectorate of the Health and Safety Executive.

Mr. Nicholls

The Health and Safety Executive recruits factory and agricultural inspectors on a national basis through open competition. Recruitment is currently under way. Allocations of new recruits to areas will depend on the number of successful candidates who take up post and on the operational needs of each office, and it is not yet possible to say how many successful candidates will be allocated to the two Scottish areas.

Mr. Worthington

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if any changes are planned in the staffing levels of the inspectorate of the Health and Safety Executive for Britain.

Mr. Nicholls

Recruitment is currently under way with the aim of increasing the numbers of factory and agricultural inspectors in the inspectorates from 1 December 1988 levels of 562 and 154 respectively to 588 factory inspectors and 160 agricultural inspectors early in the new financial year. Planned staffing levels beyond this period are still being formulated and will be published in the Health and Safety Commission's plan of work in March 1989.

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