HC Deb 04 July 1985 vol 82 cc268-9W
Mr. Corbyn

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will state for each year from 1974 to the most recent available date, both nationally and for the Greater London council area (a) the total number of health and safety executive inspectors, as now defined, (b) the total number of workplaces they had to inspect, (c) the total number of workplaces they actually inspected, (d) the total number of prosecutions undertaken by the Health and Safety Executive and (e) the total number of accidents and incidents visited.

Mr. Peter Bottomley

The information is not available in the form requested. The total number of Health and Safety Executive inspectors, and of factory inspectors in the area offices within the Greater London Council area from 1977 when these area offices were set up are set out in the following table. The other Health and Safety Executive inspectorates do not have any field staff in the London area.

Numbers in post at 1 June:
Year Inspectors in HSE (including those in headquarters) Factory inspectors in HSE Areas 5 and 6 (Covering Greater London)
1977 1,384 85*
1978 1,413 78*
1979 1,425 90*
1980 1,443 80*
1981 1,380 87
1982 1,320 77
1983 1,272 75
1984 1,236 70
1985 1,259 74
* Including some specialist inspectors subsequently relocated outside London while continuing to operate in London as well as surrounding areas.

The remainder of the information requested is unavailable or could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.