HC Deb 13 December 1976 vol 922 cc571-3W
Mr. Greville Janner

asked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) whether he has received the same response from the TUC and CBI seeking to induce him to lay the proposed Health and Safety Regulations concerning safety committees and representatives before Parliament at once and to implement the same without further delay;

(2) whether he has received representations from the Health and Safety Commission that he lay the proposed health and safety regulations concerning safety committees and representatives before Parliament without further delay;

(3) what persons or bodies have made representations to him seeking that the proposed health and safety regulations regarding safety committees and representatives should not at present be laid before Parliament or implemented, respectively.

Mr. John Grant

Representations seeking the implementation of these proposed regulations have been received from the Health and Safety Commission and from a number of bodies and individuals as indicated in my reply to my hon. and learned Friend's Question on 6th December.

Mr. Kilroy-Silk

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will implement Section 2(4) of the Health and Safety at Work Act but temporarily exempt local authorities from its provisions.

Mr. John Grant

The Health and Safety Commission's proposals for regulations to implement Section 2(4) of the Act are still under consideration and I have nothing to add to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Coventry, South-West (Mrs. Wise) on 19th November [Vol. 919, c. 797].

Mr. Greville Janner

asked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) whether he will carry out a six-month exercise on the basis of the proposed regulations for health and safety representatives and committees at his headquarters so as to ascertain the cost involved;

(2) whether he will arrange for pilot schemes to be carried out in the public and in the private sectors respectively, so as to ascertain the cost of implementing the proposed health and safety regulations regarding safety committees and representatives.

Mr. John Grant

We are still considering, in consultation with our colleagues, the Health and Safety Commission's proposed regulations on safety representatives and safety committees but my hon. and learned Friend's suggestions will be bourne in mind.