§ Andrew BennettTo ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when he expects the Health and Safety Executive will conclude negotiations on the 2003 annual pay increase. [132537]
§ Mr. BrowneWe are not able to say when the negotiations will be concluded. That is a matter for the Health and Safety Executive and the trade unions and will depend upon their ability to reach an agreed settlement.
§ Andrew BennettTo ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions by what means principal inspectors in the field offices of the Construction Division of the Health and Safety Executive are supervised from remote locations. [132539]
§ Mr. BrownePrincipal Inspectors are managed using a variety of techniques including face to face meetings (either individually or as a group), video conference, telephone or e-mail contact. The Health and Safety Executive has a detailed staff appraisal system which is supported by management information systems and the review of samples of work in accordance with HSE's quality systems.
§ Andrew BennettTo ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what proportion of notification of building sites (F10 forms) received in local offices of the Health and Safety Executive resulted in an inspection visit by a fully qualified inspector in the last 12 months. [132540]
§ Mr. BrowneThe information is not held centrally and can be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
§ Andrew BennettTo ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether the field inspectors and work contract officers of the Health and Safety Executive will prosecute companies who do not possess an employer's liability compulsory insurance certificate; and how many such prosecutions there have been in the past 12 months. [132542]
627W
§ Mr. BrowneWhere an employer has not got appropriate employers' liability insurance, or does not produce a valid certificate of insurance when required to do so, then the Health and Safety Executive will consider prosecution.
Each case must be considered on its own merits, and in accordance with the Code for Crown Prosecutors. Prosecution decisions will also take account of the time since the date of offence, because offences under ELCI Act 1969 are triable only summarily, which means there is a six-month time limit from the date of the offence to commencing a prosecution.
Where there is evidence of non-insurance, and the case is within the statutory time period, then HSE will normally prosecute.
During the period 15 October 2002 to 14 October 2003, there were a total of 10 prosecution cases heard for prosecutions brought by HSE for failure to have insurance.
In addition to prosecution, the issue of 'Notices to Produce' (NTPs) is an important part of HSE's enforcement of ELCI. NTPs require the employer to produce a valid certificate of insurance to HSE. During the same period, HSE issued a total of 73 NTPs.