§ Mrs. Wiseasked the Secretary of State for Employment if he is satisfied that the level of fines being imposed under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act provides an adequate deterrent against infringement.
§ Mr. Harold WalkerI am informed by the Chairman of the Health and Safety Commission that he feels that the unlimited fines which can be imposed by the courts for proceeding on indictment under the Health and Safety at Work, etc. Act 1974 should be an adequate deterrent against wilful infringement.
174WThe levels of fines which are imposed by the courts are decided by them after taking into account all the circumstances of the defendant and the gravity of the offence. In the case of larger firms it is difficult to establish whether the fines are as effective a deterrent as the resultant publicity.
§ Mrs. Wiseasked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the average fine being imposed for infringement of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act; and what was the average fine being imposed for similar offences (a) five years ago and (b) 20 years ago.
§ Mr. Harold WalkerThe Chairman of the Health and Safety Commission informs me that the average fine imposed during 1975 for convictions under the Health and Safety at Work, etc. Act 1974 was £95.
The following figures relate to the average fine imposed for breaches of the Factories Act 1961 and associated Regulations during the relevant year:
Year Average £ 1970 40 1955 8
§ Mrs. Wiseasked the Secretary of State for Employment how many prosecutions there have been under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act; and what this is expressed as a percentage of total known transgressions of the Act to the latest available date.
§ Mr. Harold WalkerThe Chairman of the Health and Safety Commission informs me that the provisional number of prosecutions taken since the offences section of the Health and Safety at Work, etc. Act 1974 came into force on 1st January 1975 until the end of 1975 is 1,438.
The Health and Safety Executive does not record the number of transgressions of the Act except in the prosecution figures.