HC Deb 10 April 1989 vol 150 cc374-5W
Mr. Livingstone

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many factory inspectors were conducting preventative inspections on the following dates: 6 June 1988, 7 September 1988 and 23 January 1989.

Mr. Nicholls

Factory inspectors in the Health and Safety Executives area office are not employed solely on preventive inspection but also make visits in response to accidents or other incidents, complaints, inquiries or to follow up previously identified shortcomings.

Staffing figures are recorded on the first of each month. The numbers of factory inspectors in area offices on 1 June 1988, 1 September 1988 and 1 February 1989 were 520, 522 and 533, respectively.