HC Deb 14 July 1987 vol 119 c443W
Mr. Lofthouse

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the extent to which salaries paid to the Nuclear Installations Inspectorate are adequate to recruit employees with experience of the Central Electricity Generating Board and the South of Scotland Electricity Board.

Mr. Cope

The salary scales of recruitment grade nuclear installations inspectors have been increased by £4,000 per annum since April 1986 and a further pay award of £5,000 per annum has been agreed for 1 September 1987. Recruitment to the inspectorate is continuing and in the latest competition a number of candidates from the Central Electricity Generating Board and the South of Scotland Electricity Board have been invited for interview.

Mr. Lofthouse

asked the Secretary of State for Employment which tasks the Nuclear Installations Inspectorate (a) is not able to fulfil at all, (b) has delayed fulfilling and (c) has fulfilled to an inadequate extent, due to understaffing.

Mr. Cope

Her Majesty's Nuclear Installations Inspectorate of the HSE has always carried out essential tasks, giving priority to the inspection and assessment of operating installations.

Mr. Lofthouse

asked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) what steps are being taken to increase recruitment to the Nuclear Installations Inspectorate;

(2) whether he will make a statement on the recommendations of the second report of the Energy Committee, Session 1986–87, insofar as they relate to his responsibilities for the Nuclear Installations Inspectorate.

Mr. Cope

The Select Committee on Energy, in its second report, made recommendations about the recruitment and retention of Nuclear Installations Inspectorate staff. The resources and staffing of the inspectorate are the responsibility of the Health and Safety Commission and Executive, subject to the limits set by Government on their total manpower and running costs. The Government, the commission and the executive recognise the importance of ensuring that the Nil is adequately staffed. Two substantial increases to salaries for all nuclear installations inspectors have recently been agreed and Health and Safety Executive expects that this will enable the inspectorate to attract recruits with the expertise and skills required to bring its staff up to the levels planned for 1987–88. A recruitment competition for inspectors is now under way and there are indications that the number of good quality applicants has increased.