Health and Safety Inspectors

HC Deb 09 March 1989 vol 148 cc611-3W

Mrs. Margaret Ewing

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list in theOfficial Report the total number of health and safety inspectors who have been employed in each of the past 10 years; and for how many the specific purpose of employment has been to oversee the safety of workplaces.

Mr. Nicholls

Since 1979, the total number of inspectors employed by the Health and Safety Executive is as follows (1 April figures):

	Number
1979	1,424
1980	1,435
1981	1,404
1982	1,323
1983	1,276

	Number
1984	1,242
1985	1,266
1986	1,231
11987	1,204
1988	1,165
21989	1,185
1 Her Majesty's industrial air pollution inspectors (37 posts) transferred to the Department of the Environment on 1 April 1987.
2 1 February.

All HSE inspectors are recruited specifically to contribute to the executive's role in overseeing the safety of workplaces, by inspection, advisory and enforcement activities, or by the provision of specialist technical advice to visiting inspectors. In the course of their employment inspectors may also spend time on other duties including line management responsibilities and contributing to the development of legislation, guidance and technical standards.