§ Mr. Andrew F. BennettTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many basic inspection visits were paid by the Health and Safety Executive in each of the last five years to Shell Stanlow; and what precise qualifications the inspecting inspectors possessed.
§ Mr. NichollsThe following table shows the number of preventive inspection visits paid by Health and Safety Executive inspectors to Shell Stanlow in each of the last five years.
Year 1 January to 31 December Number of inspection visits 1985 6 1986 9 1987 6 1988 9 1989 17 The formal qualifications held by the inspectors who carried out the inspections are: honours degrees in chemistry, special chemistry, applied chemistry and geology; master's degree in combustion and explosion, PhDs in kinetics, and polymer chemistry; post-graduate diplomas in occupational safety and health.
In addition, during the same period, a total of 156 visits were paid to the site for other purposes, for example, to give advice, to check specific issues of compliance and to investigate accidents.
§ Mr. Andrew F. BennettTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many fully trained and qualified inspectors the Health and Safety Executive Bootle area office chemicals group currently has; and if he intends increasing their number in the fiscal year 1990–91.
§ Mr. NichollsThere are seven trained inspectors with inspection responsibility for the chemical industry based in the Health and Safety Executive's (HSE) Merseyside area office. There are no immediate plans to increase this number, but HSE keeps the allocation of inspectors to area offices and industry groups under review.
§ Mr. Andrew F. BennettTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many improvement and prohibition notices have been issued to Shell Chemicals at Stanlow, whole site, in the last five years by the Health and Safety Executive; and if any prosecutions for non-compliance with health and safety legislation have been initiated.
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§ Mr. NichollsThe Health and Safety Executive has not issued any improvement or prohibition notices or initiated any prosecution against Shell Chemicals, Stanlow, in the last five years.
§ Mr. Andrew F. BennettTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment when Shell United Kingdom Ltd., Stanlow, submitted to the Health and Safety Executive the safety case required under the Control of Industrial Major Accident Hazard Regulations 1984.
§ Mr. NichollsShell, Stanlow, which includes Shell United Kingdom Ltd, submitted the first part of the Safety Report required under the Control of Industrial Major Accident Hazards Regulations to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) on 3 March 1989. The fourth and final part was received by HSE on 7 July 1989.
§ Mr. Andrew F. BennettTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment when the Health and Safety Executive began examining the safety case submitted by Shell Stanlow; and when the Health and Safety Executive expects to complete its vetting and approval of the safety case.
§ Mr. NichollsThe Health and Safety Executive (HSE) began examining the safety report submitted by Shell, Stanlow, in March 1989. This examination is continuing.
HSE does not approve safety reports. They are used as working documents to aid future inspection.