HC Deb 14 December 1982 vol 34 cc84-7W
Mr. Woodall

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list the number of prosecutions under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 which were taken (a) on summary conviction and (b) on indictment, with the results and average fine, for the years 1974 to 1982, inclusive.

Mr. Waddington

Table 1 shows available results for total prosecutions under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974.

Information about prosecutions taken on indictment is readily available only for Her Majesty's Factory Inspectorate. The figures are given in table 2.

Table 2
Cases taken on indictment (Her Majesty's Factory Inspectorate only)
Informations laid Convictions Withdrawn Dismissed Average fine per conviction £
1976 2 2 — — 4,000
1977 10 5 5 — 640
1978 17 9 1 7 1,111
1979 10 2 4 4 3,250
1980 11 8 1 2 2,656

Note:

Figures for other Inspectorates, and for Her Majesty's Factory Inspectorate for 1981, could not be provided without disproportionate cost.

General note to tables:

One case can cover several informations. Information for 1982 is not yet available. Details for 1975 are not available as the Act was introduced at various stages throughout that year, and comprehensive records were not collated. The results of local authority prosecutions are not readily available.

Mr. Woodall

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list (a) the number of prosecutions and (b) the average fine under relevant sections of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, for the years 1974 to 1982, inclusive.

Table 1
Prosecutions by Her Majesty's Factory Inspectorate under the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974
1976 1977 1978
Section Number Average fine (£) Number Average fine (£) Number Average fine (£)
2 184 183 344 148 325 187
3 36 124 45 176 65 210
4 9 75 24 170 19 162
6 11 117 26 128 29 153
7 12 42 20 59 23 61
8 1 100 — — 1 5
33 93 65 114 77 114 102
36 1 60 — — 8 155
37 2 175 5 70 26 100
Others — — — — — —
Total 349 135 578 131 610 160

1979 1980 1981 (provisional)
Section Number Average fine (£) Number Average fine (£) Number Average fine (£)
2 263 270 261 259 181 300
3 63 287 70 502 59 186
4 23 561 39 274 37 239
6 27 220 27 236 9 367
7 37 90 38 82 20 87
8 — — — — — —
33 101 139 112 173 41 208
36 16 364 2 325 4 125
37 10 158 15 143 4 238
Others — — — — 32 140
Total 540 240 564 255 387 240

Notes:

(1) Number = number of informations laid. One case can cover several informations.

(2) Average fine = average fine per conviction.

Note:

Information for 1982 is not yet available. Details for 1975 are not available as the Act was introduced at various stages throughout that year, and comprehensive records by section of the Act were not collated.

Table 2
Prosecutions by local authorities under the Health and Safety at Work etc.Act 1974
Section of Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981
2 — 4 89 72 185 174
3 — — 21 18 25 20

Mr. Waddington

Information of this kind is readily available only for those cases for which Her Majesty's Factory Inspectorate is responsible, and is given in table 1.

Table 2 shows prosecutions taken by local authorities broken down by sections of the Act. Details of fines are not available.

Section of Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981
4 — 2 6 4 10 3
6 — — 5 1 2 1
7 — — 13 16 15 5
8 — — 4 — 1 —
9 — — 1 — — —
Other and unspecified offences 18 28 55 45 39 45
Total 18 34 194 156 111 243

Notes:

Informations laid—one case can cover several informations. See note to table 1.