HC Deb 28 July 1989 vol 157 cc1044-5W
Mr. Andrew F. Bennett

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment (1) in which newspapers, periodicals and so on, and at what cost, the post of deputy director general of the Health and Safety Executive was advertised;

(2) who were the members of the interview panel which interviewed candidates for the post of deputy director general of the Health and Safety Executive.

Mr. Nicholls

The Health and Safety Commission did not advertise this appointment and there is no statutory or other obligation on it to do so.

The appointment was made by the commission with the approval of the Secretary of State for Employment, after consultation with the director general of the Health and Safety Executive, and on terms approved by the Minister for the Civil Service, as is the case with any appointment of a member of the executive. The commission is well acquainted with Mr. Eves' qualifications and talents.

Mr. Andrew F. Bennett

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what proportion of Health and Safety Executive area directors currently hold formal professional management qualifications.

Mr. Nicholls

A formal professional management qualification is not a prerequisite for appointment to the post of area director. They are all given appropriate training to ensure that they have the management skills necessary to perform their duties. There are currently 20 area directors employed by the Health and Safety Executive; 20 per cent. hold formal professional management qualifications.

Mr. Andrew F. Bennett

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what proportion of Health and Safety Executive area directors are currently aged under 50 years.

Mr. Nicholls

Thirty per cent. of area directors employed by the Health and Safety Executive are under the age of 50.

Mr. Andrew F. Bennett

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what proportion of the field force of(a) doctors and (b) nurses, employed by the medical division of the Health and Safety Executive are aged 50 years and over.

Mr. Nicholls

Fifty-nine per cent. of the doctors employed in the field force of the Health and Safety Executive medical division, are aged 50 or over. For nurses, the proportion is 48 per cent.

Mr. Leighton

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the contents of "Health and Safety—an alternative report on the work of the Health and Safety Executive in 1988" produced by the Institution of Professional Civil Servants.

Mr. Nicholls

I have not received a copy of this report.