§ Mr. Ashtonasked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the average cycle of farm visits by safety inspectors; and what cuts there have been in the limits of inspectors mileage to make such visits.
§ Mr. NichollsInspections and visits to farms by the Health and Safety Executive's agricultural inspectorate are prioritised and carried out according to the known hazard and the number of persons at risk. Labour-employing establishments are inspected approximately every four years, and other categories less frequently. The budget allocated to the agricultural inspectorate for travel and subsistence has remained the same for the last two years, during which time the number of farm visits has increased slightly.
§ Mr. Ashtonasked the Secretary of State for Employment how many of the 176,000 self-employed non-labour premises in farming, forestry and horticulture were visited last year by health and safety inspectors.
§ Mr. NichollsThe Health and Safety Executive's HM agricultural inspectorate carried out 8,105 inspections of non-labour employing premises last year.