§ Mr. Cryerasked the Secretary of State for Employment if it is proposed to recruit any inspectors of factories in the current year and 1981; how many inspectors at present specialising in training will be required for ordinary duties in the same period; and how many 275W inspectors resigned or retired in 1979 and in the current year to the most recent practicable date.
§ Mr. Mayhew[pursuant to his reply, 21 May 1980, c. 201]: The Health and Safety Commission and its executive have been reviewing the allocation of their resources to future programmes of work, including Her Majesty's Factory Inspectorate's programme, in the light of Civil Service manpower economies. Final decisions have not yet been taken, but it seems unlikely that there will be any recruitment of inspectors of factories in the current year. It is not known at this stage whether or not recruitment will take place in 1981.
The number of inspectors at present specialising in training who will be required for ordinary duties in the same period also depends on the outcome of the review.
34 inspectors of factories left the Health and Safety Executive during 1979 and 18 between 1.1.80 and 16.5.80.