§ Mr. Willeyasked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) whether the safety committees constituted under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act have the duty to consider plans for new plant;
(2) whether he will provide that where a completely new installation is proposed and a safety committee is not in being the appropriate unions shall be consulted.
§ Mr. Harold WalkerThe Health and Safety Commission is examining as a matter of urgency the related questions of safety representatives and safety committees as provided for in Section 2 of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act. The commission has a duty under the Act to 517W consult widely on its proposals. I must await this process before I can make the necessary regulations. The Act does, without regard to the existence or otherwise of safety committees, specifically require employers to provide information necessary to ensure, so far as reasonably practicable, the health and safety at work of their employees. Plans for new plant or for new installations, if these effect the health and safety of the employees, would therefore he the subject of provision of information by employers.