§ Mr. Parkasked the Secretary of State for Employment how many factory inspectors were actually in post at any convenient comparable date in 1974, 1975 and 1976; what, if any, were the number of unfilled Posts on the same dates; and what, if any, reductions are proposed in the number of such posts.
§ Mr. John GrantAt 1st November 1974, 1975 and 1976, respectively, there782W were 747, 812 and 894 factory inspectors in post.
The rate of recruitment of factory inspectors is designed to match the undertaking given in 1974 by my right hon. Friend the then Secretary of State for Employment that the number of factory inspectors would increase by 50 per cent. between 1974 and 1979. This recruitment is, however, constrained by the training capability within the Health and Safety Executive. Recruitment is not designed to match a specified number of unfilled posts at any point in time. No reductions are planned, however, in the current rate of recruitment.