HC Deb 29 October 1987 vol 121 cc407-8W
Mr. Ron Davies

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many farm visits have been made by Health and Safety Executive inspectors in total this year to date, and in each of the last five years.

Mr. Nicholls

I have been asked to reply.

The total number of farm visits made by the Health and Safety Executive Her Majesty's agricultural inspectorate for the past five yeas is as follows:

Year Number
1982 29,591
1983–84 27,255
1984–85 29,468
1985–86 30,562
1986–87 30,605

Figures for this year so far are not yet available.

Mr. Ron Davies

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the level of public funding devoted to monitoring and enforcing safety legislation in agriculture by the Health and Safety Executive; what proportion is devoted separately to monitoring and enforcing legislation regarding pesticides use; and if he will give the relevant information for each of the last five years and the projection for 1988.

Mr. Nicholls

I have been asked to reply.

The salary budget for the Health and Safety Executive's agricultural inspectorate for each of the last five years is as follows:

NHS Community Psychiatric Nursing Staff (Mental Illness)
Whole-time equivalent
Region 30 September 1982 30 September 1983 30 September 1984 30 September 1985 30 September 1986
Northern 70 72 95 121 158
Yorkshire 73 90 132 167 199
Trent 112 124 175 215 260
East Anglian 47 52 88 101 106
North West Thames 99 108 123 163 168
North East Thames 111 108 132 140 137
South East Thames 50 80 147 163 208
South West Thames 137 134 165 207 209

Financial Year Salary Budget £
1983–84 2,835,000
1984–85 2,972,000
1985–86 3,092,000
1986–87 3,322,000
1987–88 3,472,000

The budget for 1988–89 is not yet available.

The monitoring and enforcement of pesticides legislation is undertaken as part of the agricultural inspecorate's overall work programme and no separate budget allocation is made.

Mr. Ron Davies

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many Health and Safety Executive inspectors are presently engaged in monitoring and enforcing existing legislation with regard to the use of pesticides; how many farm visits have been made this year to date; and how does this information compare with 1986.

Mr. Nicholls

I 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. Figures for the number of farm visits made since 1 April 1987 to date are not yet available. On 1 October 1986, 156 agricultural inspectors and 543 factory inspectors were employed in the field. Agricultural inspectors made 30,605 visits to farms during 1986–87. A recruitment competition for factory and agricultural inspectors has just started.