§ Mr. LawrenceTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many health inspectors are currently employed in his Department to check on the safety of pesticides; and how many Government inspectors were employed in each of the past 10 years.
§ Mr. NichollsI have been asked to reply.
On 1 October 1987 the Health and Safety Executive employed 142 agricultural inspectors and 528 factory inspectors in the field. Their duties include responsibility for pesticide safety. The total number of inspectors in the field in each of the last 10 years is as follows:
148W
1 April figures Agricultural inspectors Factory inspectors 1977 178 602 1978 175 619 1979 179 656 1980 177 664 1981 166 639 1982 156 595 1983 149 572 1984 144 549 1985 150 569 1986 150 1540 1987 151 1538 1 Before April 1986 some inspectors now classed as specialists were The additional pesticides work now falling to HSE is being accommodated by a rearrangement of priorities.