§ Mr. Tony LloydTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment what he is doing to promote(a) the use of, (b) the training of and (c) the effectiveness of safety representatives in the workplace.
§ Mr. ForthThe Safety Representatives and Safety Committees Regulations 1977 provide extensive legal rights to safety representatives, including the right to paid time off work to receive training. It is for the safety representatives and the unions to decide whether and how to exercise these rights. The effectiveness of the regulations is kept under review by the Health and Safety Commission. I will consider any proposals that the commission may decide to put to me.