§ Mr. Cryerasked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) if he has considered the twenty-third report of the Select Committee on Statutory Instruments, which states that articles in certain statutory instruments appear to be ultra vires the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974; what instructions he has issued to the commission regarding the warrants to inspectors; and if he will make a statement.
(2) what was the total expenditure incurred in travelling expenses by the Health and Safety Executive in the year ended 31 March 1979; and what proportion of this was spent on travel to Brussels for European Economic Community discussions;
(3) what steps the Health and Safety Commission has taken to ensure that local authorities have only appointed persons having suitable qualifications to be inspectors under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974; and if he is satisfied that only suitably qualified persons have been appointed;
(4) what qualifications the Health and Safety Executive considers it necessary for an inspector to have before he can be authorised to enforce the Electricity (Factories Act) Special Regulations 1908; and if he is satisfied that only persons having those qualifications have been so authorised.
§ Mr. MayhewI shall reply to the hon. Member as soon as possible.
§ Mr. Cryerasked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish a 323W breakdown of the general administrative expenses of £6,965,612 shown in schedule 2 to the Health and Safety Executive income and expenditure account for the year ended 31 March 1979.
§ Mr. MayhewThe breakdown of general administrative expenses amounting to £6,965,612 and shown in schedule 2 to the Health and Safety Executive's income and expenditure account for the year ended 31 March 1979 is as follows:
£'000 Travel and subsistence of staff 2,248 Permanent transfer expenses of staff 624 Telecommunications 844 Stationery 538 Staff training 349 Information services 1,107 Postage and carriage 174 Contract cleaning and agency staff 407 Services provided by the Department of Employment 517 Staff recruitment 90 Miscellaneous 68 6,966
§ Mr. Cryerasked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish a breakdown of the other expenses amounting to £1.065,355 shown in schedule 2 to the Health and Safety Executive income and expenditure account for the year ended 31 March 1979.
§ Mr. MayhewThe breakdown of other expenses of £1,065,355 shown in schedule 2 to the Health and Safety Executive's income and expenditure account for the year ended 31 March 1979 is as follows:
£'000 Equipment, Maintenance and consumable stores 826 Committee expenses 36 Law costs 38 Consultant's fees and expenses 96 Other miscellaneous expenditure 69 1,065
§ Mr. Cryerasked the Secretary of State for Employment to what outside bodies the Health and Safety Executive made payments in the year ended 31 March 1979; for what these payments were made; and how much of the total payments went to each body.
§ Mr. MayhewIt is not possible without a disproportionate use of staff to give324W a full breakdown of the amounts and nature of the payments made to outside bodies by the Health and Safety Executive in the year ended 31 March 1979; but the principal payments included the following:
£'000 For research development:— Medical Research Council 609 United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority 270 National Radiólogical Protection Board 131 Microbiological Research Establishment: Porton Down 104 Universities 325 Other bodies 811 2,250
For enforcement work on an agency basis:— Railway Inspectorate (Ministry of Transport) 266 Scottish Pollution Inspectorate 111 Petroleum Engineering Directorate 211 588
For testing and other support services:— Royal Armaments Research and Development Establishment (MOD) 351 Other bodies 255 606 3,444
§ Mr. Cryerasked the Secretary of State for Employment how many prosecutions were brought in 1979 by the Health and Safety Executive against designers, manufacturers, importers and suppliers of machinery and substances under section 6 of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974.
§ Mr. MayhewIn 1979 the Health and Safety Executive brought 24 prosecutions under section 6 of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974.
§ Mr. Cryerasked the Secretary of State for Employment if he intends to appoint Lord Bellwin as chairman of the Health and Safety Commission on 1 October.
§ Mr. PriorThe appointment of the present chairman of the Health and Safety Commission expires on 30 September. No decisions on reappointment have been made.