HC Deb 08 July 2003 vol 408 cc764-5W
Mr. Cox

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a statement on steps being taken by his Department to reduce the number of(a) deaths and (b) injuries suffered by working people at their place of employment. [118220]

Mr. Browne

The 'Revitalising Health and Safety' strategy encourages people to work together to achieve significant reductions in the incidence of injury and ill health in the workplace. It sets targets to be achieved by 2004 to:

  • reduce the number of working days lost by 15 per cent.
  • reduce the rate of cases of work-related ill health by 10 per cent.
  • reduce the rate of fatalities of major injuries by 5 per cent.
  • achieve double these improvements by 2010.

Work being done includes concentrating on eight priority programmes, identified as the greatest causes of work-related deaths, injuries and illness, and the sectors with the worst health and safety records. In addition, HSC/E is working in partnership with organisations, to promote innovative activities. One such initiative is the food sector's 'Recipe for Safety' where accident levels have fallen by more than 24 per cent. over 12 years.

Further details of work will be available in the Business Plan for 2003–04. A copy will be placed in the Library when it is published later this year.