§ Lord James Douglas-Hamiltonasked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he is satisfied that a disaster similar to that which occurred in Bhopal could not happen in Scotland; and if he will make a statement as to safety measures undertaken and in force.
§ Mr. Peter Bottomley[pursuant to his reply, 25 February 1985, c. 19]: No installation in Scotland is in any way comparable with the Union Carbide factory at Bhopal.
There is a comprehensive legal framework in this country for the control of hazardous installations. Under the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 there is a legal obligation on employers to conduct their undertakings in such a way as to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, that employees or members of the public are not exposed to risks to their health and safety.
The general provisions of this Act are further strengthened by provisions in the Notification of Installations Handling Hazardous Substances Regulations 1982 and the Control of Industrial Major Accident Hazards Regulations 1984.
These regulations are enforced by the Health and Safety Executive.