Health and Safety (Hansard, 13 March 1990)

§ 45. Mr. Tony Lloyd
To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what plans there are for increasing the number of construction inspectors within the Health and Safety Executive.

§ Mr. Nicholls
The Health and Safety Executive has achieved its objective of having 100 inspectors regularly engaged on the inspection of construction activities nationally by 1990. This number will be maintained. The HSE has no plans to increase the number in 1990, but the position will be kept under review.

§ 54. Mr. Boyes
To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what plans he has to extend health and safety protection at work.

§ Mr. Nicholls
The Government have increased financial provision for the Health and Safety Commission and Executive over previously agreed levels again for 1990–91. The additional provision is £7 million, excluding money transferred from the Department of Energy for nuclear safety research.
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My right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State expects shortly to receive for his approval details of the commission's plans for 1990–91 and beyond. The commission hopes to publish its plan of work in May.

§ 71. Mr. Nigel Griffiths
To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he has any plans to introduce legislation allowing for heavier fines for cases brought by the Health and Safety Executive.

§ Mr. Nicholls
The introduction of legislation allowing for heavier fines, including those for cases brought by the Health and Safety Executive, is the responsibility of my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for the Home Department.

§ 73. Mr. Lofthouse
To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what steps the Health and Safety Executive is taking to comply with European Community directives on the workplace, the use of workplace equipment and the use of personal protective equipment.

§ Mr. Eggar
The Health and Safety Executive is assessing what changes to existing legislation need to be made in the light of the directives, and will make recommendations to the Health and Safety Commission in due course. The commission hopes to publish proposals in the form of a consultative document by about the end of this year.