HC Deb 26 May 1988 vol 134 cc320-1W
Mr. Patchett

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many prosecutions in connection with construction sites there were in 1987; what regulations were broken; and what was the fine for each offence.

Mr. Nicholls

The table shows the available information, concerning prosecutions associated with the construction industry.

Regulation The number of prosecutions 1: informations laid in 1986–872 The number of convictions The average penally per conviction £
Construction (General Provisions) Regs 1961 52 44 792
Construction (Lifting Operations) Regs 1961 40 27 649
Construction (Working Places) Regs 1966 181 145 347
Construction (Health and Welfare) Regs 1966 11 8 288
Other Regulations 3 112 92 325
Specific Regulations not Quoted 254 166 688
Grand Total 4650 482 517
1 Data are for construction related prosecutions taken by Factory and Agricultural Inspectorates of the Health and Safety Executive London area offices. They exclude any that may have been taken by other enforcing authorities.
2 Provisional data for the 12 month period April 1986 to March 1987.
3 Information separately distinguishing each of the other regulations can only be obtained at disproportionate cost.
4The outcome of 29 of these informations laid is not yet known.

Mr. Patchett

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how frequently the average building site has been inspected, each year, in each of the years from 1970 to 1987.

Mr. Nicholls

The information requested is not available.

Mr. Patchett

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what were(a) the estimated number of building sites and (b) the number of construction Health and Safety Executive inspectors for each of the years from 1970 to 1987.

Mr. Nicholls

The Health and Safety Executive does not keep estimates of the number of building sites. All inspectors in the factory inspectorate division of the HSE may work in construction groups. The number of experienced inspectors employed on construction work for the years as at 1 January 1979–86 was as follows:

Number
1979 86
1980 87
1981 90
1982 89
1983 88
1984 88
1985 86
1986 84.5

In September 1987 there were 92 qualified inspectors employed on construction work.

No information is available centrally for the years 1970–78.