§ Mr. Masonasked the Secretary of State for Employment if, in view of the increase in deaths on farms from 17 in the first six months of 1978 to 34 in the first six months of 1979, he will seek to amend the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act so as to require farmers to give access to trade union safety representatives.
§ Mr. MayhewI am informed by the chairman of the Health and Safety Commission that there are no plans at present to recommend changes to the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 to require farmers to give access to trade union safety representatives.
424WFatalities due to agricultural operations in 1978 were the lowest on record, the comparative figures for recent years being:
1974 104 1975 101 1976 108 1977 105 1978 73 1979 (to 30/11/79) 72, with a further 20 waiting confirmation. As there is no set pattern for the incidence of fatal accidents comparisons between 1978 and other years, or parts thereof, can be misleading.