§ Dr. Edmund Marshallasked the Prime Minister, pursuant to the reply of 19 January by the hon. Member for Eye to the hon. Member for Goole, which Minister is responsible for making orders under section 85(2) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974.
§ The Prime MinisterWith the exception of part III, almost the whole of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 was brought into operation, under section 85(2), by the then Secretary of State for Employment by the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 (Commencement No. 1) Order 1974, the three schedules of which came into operation on 1 October 1974, 1 January 1975 and 1 April 1975.
However, the operation of section 5 of the 1974 Act has awaited regulations to make it effective. These are now being considered by the Secretaries of State for the Environment, Scotland and Wales and I hope that a decision will be made very soon.
The making of orders to bring into operation the sections of part III which have yet to be activated is the responsibility of my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for the Environment and for Scotland.