§ Mr. D. E. Thomasasked the Secretary of State for Employment how many factory inspectors are at present operative in Wales in each grade; and what plans there are for increasing this complement.
§ Mr. Harold WalkerI am informed by the Chairman of the Health and Safety Commission that there are at present operative in Wales the following factory inspectors in each grade:
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Superintendent Inspectors 1 Deputy Superintendent Inspectors 2 Inspectors Class IA 7 Inspectors Class IB 15 Inspetcors Class II 6 Assistant Inspectors 3 Senior Electrical Inspectors 1 Specialist Inspectors under training 2 There are plans for expansion of the Factory Inspectorate over the next few years and Wales will receive an increase in staff proportionate to the overall increase in the Inspectorate, and having regard to occupational health and safety needs.
§ Mr. Ronald Brownasked the Secretary of State for Employment from what source he intends to recruit the 133 additional factory inspectors required by 31st July 1976; what qualifications he expects them to have; and what period of time they will have served in industry prior to appointment.
§ Mr. Harold WalkerI am informed by the Chairman of the Health and Safety Commission that it is intended to recruit the additional factory inspectors from among existing civil servants and through open competitions run by the Civil Service Commission. The recruits for the general inspectorate will be expected to have either an honours or post-graduate degree, or to have a qualification at least equivalent to a Higher National Certificate with not less than three years' post qualification practical experience in an executive or managerial capacity. Specialist inspectors will be recruited from among candidates with appropriate industrial experience who are chartered engineers corporate members of the Institution of Electrical Engineers or fellows or members of the Royal Institute of Chemistry, the Institution of Chemical Engineers or the Institute of Physics. In addition candidates with first- or second-class honours in chemistry physics or chemical engineering are eligible for chemical inspector posts provided that they have at least two years' appropriate industrial experience.