§ Mr. Tony LloydTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment what was the actual amount spent by the Health and Safety Executive in each year from 1985–86 to 1990–91.
§ Mr. ForthThe actual amounts spent by the Health and Safety Commission in each year from 1985–86 to 1989–90 were:
Year Expenditure £000s 1985–86 97,694 1986–87 100,384 1987–88 101,388 1988–89 109,500 1989–90 119,607 Expenditure figures for 1990–91 will be published in the Health and Safety Commission's annual report for 1990–91. The commission's expenditure is financed from grant in aid and from receipts, mainly from fees and charges.
§ Mr. Tony LloydTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment how much money was provided as grant in aid to the Health and Safety Executive in the years 1985–86 to 1990–91.
§ Mr. ForthMoney provided as grant in aid to the Health and Safety Commission in each of the years 1985–86 to 1990–91 was:
Year Grant in aid £000s 1985–86 93,283 1986–87 94,334 1987–88 94,235 1988–89 97,390 1989–90 102,974 1990–91 120,354
§ Mr. Tony LloydTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many staff years of experience have been lost by the Health and Safety Executive over the past three years among professional/scientific staff researching and developing health-related topics.
§ Mr. ForthA total of 90 staff years of experience has been lost, about half of which was due to transfers to other Government laboratories, and about a quarter of which was due to resignations.
§ Mr. Tony LloydTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will state the level of funding proposed for the Health and Safety Executive, following the transfer of the offshore safety division, in 1991–92, and 1992–93 and 1993–94.
§ Mr. ForthGross planned provision for the Health and Safety Commission as announced in February 1991 in the "Government's Expenditure Plans, 1991–92 to 1993–94: Department of Employment" was:
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Provision £ million 1991–92 184 1992–93 196 1993–94 213 These figures do not include provision for offshore safety work. A supplementary estimate will be presented seeking provision for 1991–92.
§ Mr. Tony LloydTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment what were the staff numbers and real cost of the Health and Safety Executive in 1980 and 1990; and how many new responsibilities have been given to the Health and Safety Executive in that period.
§ Mr. ForthOn 1 April 1980 and 1 April 1990, totals of 4,218 and 3,698 staff respectively were in post in the Health and Safety Executive. At constant prices, gross provision for the Health and Safety Commission in 1980–81 was £144.1 million and in 1990–91, it was £171.5 million.
The Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 laid upon the Health and Safety Commission and Executive responsibility for virtually all aspects of industrial health and safety, and most aspects of the protection of the public from work activity. Within this overall competence, the commission and executive have acquired the following new responsibilities since 1980:
- (i) carriage by road, classification, packaging and labelling of dangerous substances;
- (ii) notification of new substances before they are placed on the market and of existing substances;
- (iii) action under the European directive on the control of industrial major accident hazards, including new responsibility for protection of the environment from hazardous installations;
- (iv) mains gas safety;
- (v) asbestos licensing;
- (vi) the enforcement of part III of the Food and Environment Protection Act and its related Control of Pesticides Regulations;
- (vii) responsibility under the Control of Pesticides Regulations for the registration and assessment of non-agricultural pesticides;
- (viii) new and expanded nuclear safety work, including nuclear safety research;
- (ix) health and safety on railways.
In addition, new or substantially expanded work has been acquired in connection with the control of dangerous substances in harbour areas, radiation and noise, and the health and safety implications of the development and use of new technology including programmable electronics and biotechnology. There has also been a significant growth of EC activity and directives in areas affecting safety and health, and a significant growth in public and international interest in relevant environmental and major hazards issues.
§ Mr. Tony LloydTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many staff years of experience have been lost by the Health and Safety Executive over the past three years among professional-scientific staff researching and developing safety-related topics.
§ Mr. ForthA total of 368 staff years of experience has been lost, the vast majority of which was due to retirement.