§ Mr. Rookerasked the Secretary of State for Employment what reply he has sent to the letter from ASTMS concerning the operation of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 in the universities.
§ Mr. John GrantI understand from the Chairman of the Health and Safety Commission that he received a letter from ASTMS on 28th June 1976. The reply to this letter stated that the Health and Safety at Work Act applies in universities as elsewhere and that all staff have the same rights and duties under the Act as any other employees or self-employed persons at work. It was also explained that the provisions of the Act are enforced by the Health and Safety Executive and that the executive has been 487W directed to study conditions of work in universities and the practical implications of the Act for all concerned. At the same time ASTMS were invited to approach the executive to discuss the application of the Act to universities as or when they wished to do so.