§ Mr. Andrew F. BennettTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many vacancies currently there are in the railways inspectorate; for how long each has remained unfulfilled; what is the current establishment of the railways inspectorate; how this has altered in each year since 1979; and what plans he has for the future establishment of the inspectorate.
§ Mr. David MitchellThe establishment of the railway inspectorate in 1979 and now (1987) is shown in the table:
1979 1987 Chief Inspecting Officer of Railways 1 1 Inspecting Officer of Railways 4 4 Assistant Inspecting Officer of Railways 2 4 Principal Railway Employment Inspector 1 3 Railway Employment Inspector 14 12 Administrative Staff 15 15 — — Total 37 39 Two railway employment inspector posts were upgraded to principal in 1981. Between 1985 and 1987 an additional inspecting officer post was held supernumerary to the establishment. In 1987 the supernumerary post was abolished and two additional assistant inspecting officer posts created.
Between 1979 and 1987 there have been up to two posts in the administrative staff vacant for short periods. The only other shortfall has occurred in the railway employment inspector posts where the vacancies at the end of each calendar year have been:
Year end vacancies Number Up to 1983 Nil 1984 1 1985 1 1986 5 1987 5 The inspectorate's future establishment will be considered in the light of the recent departmental review.
§ Mr. Andrew F. BennettTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the regularity of the inspection programme of the railways inspectorate.
§ Mr. David MitchellInspections carried out by the railways inspectorate cover a variety of subjects. Inspections of new railways, for example, Docklands, of important alterations to existing ones, for example, electrification, and of new or altered level crossings are carried out under the railway and level crossing legislation. These inspections are planned up to a year ahead and 743W respond to the new works submitted to the Department for inspection as required by the legislation. The same remarks apply to the inspections carried out by the inspectorate in Northern Ireland, Hong Kong and Singapore under agency agreements. Other inspections are carried out by the inspectorate's railway employment inspectors in furtherance of the agency agreement between the Department and the Health and Safety Executive. These are planned ahead and are based on a system of priorities, with emphasis placed on areas of identified hazard. During 1986, 36 new works inspections were carried out in the United Kingdom plus a small number in Hong Kong and Singapore, together with 101 inspections of modernised level crossings, and 1,067 inspections of railway work sites and installations were undertaken by railway employment inspectors. The work load this year is similar.
§ Mr. Andrew F. BennettTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the regularity of the training programme for newly recruited railway inspectors.
§ Mr. David MitchellIn recent years newly recruited inspectors have all had professional railway qualifications and experience. On recruitment they receive standard initial training in their duties as inspectors and thereafter receive continuation training relative to their individual needs. All inspectors are expected to keep themselves up-to-date by reading professional journals and attending and contributing to meetings of learned societies. The inspectorate arranges regular training conferences.
§ Mr. Andrew F. BennettTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what was the level of expenditure on training in the railways inspectorate in 1986–87; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. David MitchellIn the financial year 1986–87 the money spent by the railway inspectorate on training fees or equivalent was £6,698. This sum does not include any salary costs for those under training.