§ Mr. Cryerasked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the estimated number of factory inspectors he hopes to employ in 1980.
§ Mr. Mayhew[pursuant to his reply, 7 November 1979]: The number of factory inspectors in post on 1 November 1979 was 981. It will be for the Health and Safety Commission to decide its future recruitment programmes for factory inspectors in the light of the 1980–81 estimates which have yet to be settled by the Government.
§ Mr. Cryerasked the Secretary of State for Employment what provision of legal services for the assistance of the factory 260W inspectorate is provided or envisaged; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Mayhew[pursuant to his reply, 7 November 1979]: The Health and Safety Executive solicitor, with his staff of seven lawyers, is available to assist the factory inspectorate.
§ Mr. Cryerasked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will give the number of factory inspectors in post and making factory visits for 1973–74, 1975–76, 1977–78 and 1979 at the most recent practicable date.
§ Mr. Mayhew[pursuant to his reply, 7 November 1979]: I am informed by the chairman of the Health and Safety Commission that the number of factory inspectors in post and making factory visits for 1973–74, 1975–76, 1977–78 and 1979 is as follows:
April 1973 … … … 595 April 1974 … … … 603 April 1975 … … … 653 April 1976 … … … 685 April 1977 … … … 707 April 1978 … … … 802 April 1979 … … … 820 November 1979 … … 881
§ Mr. Cryerasked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the average frequency of factory inspections for 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, and 1979 to the most recent practicable date.
§ Mr. Mayhew[pursuant to his reply, 7 November 1979]: This information is not available. I am informed by the chairman of the Health and Safety Commission that since the introduction of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, Her Majesty's factory inspectorate has been responsible for the inspection of a large number of establishments outside its traditional field of work in factories. The inspectorate's policy on selecting workplaces for systematic inspection is to treat each workplace on its merits, and to inspect those workplaces most deserving of inspection in any year, without distinguishing factories from other establishments. Since 1976 the inspectorate has endeavoured to include in its national inspection programme the 25 per cent. of factories most meriting inspection, which will, of course, include unsatisfactory establishments inspected in the previous year, and some establishments that have not been 261W inspected for a number of years. This may be compared with the 1973 policy of endeavouring, with variable success, to inspect every workplace subject to the Factories Act, however low the risk, every four years.
A sample survey taken at the end of June 1979 of establishments about which information is currently held on the inspectorate's register—which includes some, but by no means all, establishments due to be inspected by Her Majesty's factory inspectorate under the 1974 Act—shows that, subject to sampling error 10 per cent. had received their last substantial inspection since 1 January 1979; 32 per cent. had received their last substantial inspection since 1 January 1978; 50 per cent. had received their last substantial inspection since 1 January 1977; 65 per cent. had received their last substantial inspection since 1 January 1976; 77 per cent. had received their last substantial inspection since 1 January 1975.
The vast majority of the remaining 23 per cent. of establishments employ fewer than 10 persons.