§ Mr. Jannerasked the Secretary of State for Employment how many persons have been killed, seriously injured and slightly injured, respectively, in accidents arising out of the distribution and consumption of gas, respectively, in homes and in work places, respectively, during each of the past 10 years for which records are available.
§ Mr. GummerI regret that the information is not available in the form requested. However, the following table shows the numbers of deaths and injuries notified to the Department of Energy for each year in the period 1977–83 attributable to mains gas distribution and consumption.
Deaths Injuries 1977 63 155 1978 60 249 1979 99 222 1980 90 247 1981 132 335 1982 95 216 1983 68 Note: Statistics pre-1977 are incomplete.
The following figures relate to the number of deaths and injuries, notified to the Factory Inspectorate, occurring in the work place and attributable to natural gas in the period 1976–80.
Deaths Injuries 1977 0 101 1977 1 82 1978 0 51 1979 0 79 1980 0 29 Note: Some of the figures in the second table may be included in the first.
§ Mr. Jannerasked the Secretary of State for Employment how many and what percentage of accidents causing fatalities, serious injuries and slight injuries, respectively, in the home were due to defective gas heaters and other gas appliances, respectively, during each of the last five years for which records were available.
§ Mr. GummerI regret that the figures are not available in the form requested. Nevertheless, the table shows the 243W numbers killed and injured in carbon monoxide poisonings arising from incomplete combustion in gas appliances during the period 1979–83. They are based on notifications of incidents to the Department of Energy.
Deaths Injuries 1979 74 (5,739) 95 1980 71 (5,270) 78 1981 †99 (3,942) 160 1982 67 (4,812) 73 1983 32* 95 Note: The figures in brackets are the total number of deaths from domestic accidents in that year. * (Not yet available). † Figures for 1981 were affected by a dispute between some registration officers and local authorities.
§ Mr. Jannerasked the Secretary of State for Employment how many and what percentage of accidents causing fatalities, serious injuries and slight injuries, respectively, in the work place were due to defective gas heaters and other gas appliances, respectively, during each of the last five years for which records were available.
§ Mr. GummerI regret that this information is not available.
§ Mr. Jannerasked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) whether, in view of the transfer on 1 February, of the responsibility for gas safety from the Department of Energy to his Department, and the undertaking of the work by the Health and Safety Commission and Executive, he will arrange for additional resources to be provided to the commission and to the executive, so that they may carry out these additional duties;
(2) how many persons at the Health and Safety Commission and Executive he estimates will be needed in order to carry out the new duties in respect of responsibility for gas safety, transferred to his Department from the Department of Energy as from 1 February.
§ Mr. GummerToday being the date of the transfer of functions, the Department of Energy will pass to the Health and Safety Executive nine posts and the associated financial provision of about £130,000 per annum. This transfer will enable the executive to discharge the additional responsibilities now involved. Provision exists for the executive to recruit additional staff to monitor gas installation work.
§ Mr. Jannerasked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he proposes any new gas safety regulations under section 31 of the Gas Act 1972 and the associated powers on penalties and prosecutions under sections 42 and 43.
§ Mr. GummerMy right hon. Friend proposes to make Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations under the powers referred to.
§ Mr. Jannerasked the Secretary of State for Employment what steps he proposes to take in order to enforce the Gas Safety Regulations 1972 and the Gas Safety (Rights of Entry) Regulations 1983, following upon the transfer of responsibility in respect of gas safety to his Department from the Department of Energy as from 1 February.
§ Mr. GummerMy right hon. Friend is making an agency agreement with the Health and Safety Commission244W under which it will perform on my behalf the gas safety functions, including enforcement of the Gas Safety Regulations 1972 and the Gas Safety (Rights of Entry) Regulations 1983, which are being transferred from my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Energy.