HC Deb 03 March 1986 vol 93 cc7-8W
Mr. Caborn

asked the Paymaster General if an instruction has been issued to Health and Safety Executive inspectors preventing them, following a site visit, from writing to union representatives at the site with a copy of the advice given by the Health and Safety Executive to the site operator.

Mr. Trippier

No such instruction has been issued. There has been no change in the guidance on the provision of information by inspectors and other staff to employees or their representatives.

Mr. Caborn

asked the Paymaster General how many grade 1B Health and Safety Executive inspectors he expects to leave the Health and Safety Executive in 1986 based on previous years; and how many Health and Safety Executive grade 1B inspectors are to be appointed in 1986.

Mr. Trippier

I shall reply to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

It will provide a better indicator of the proportion of the total labour force out of work. I have been assured by our statisticians that there can be no statistical objection to expanding labour market data in this way.

The more narrowly defined rate remains relevant because it allows consistency between the national rate and the rates for individual travel-to-work areas. Information on self-employment is not available at the level of travel-to-work areas.

The results of the 1985 labour force survey are expected shortly. These, together with the results of the 1984 census of employment, will enable revisions to be made of the estimates of the employed labour force. They should provide the basis for the publication of the additional unemployment rate for the first time in June, but this timetable is provisional. At that time, comparable monthly rates back at least to May 1979 will be provided. The more narrowly defined rate for each month since May 1979 is given in the table.