§ Mr. StrangTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment, (1) pursuant to the answer of the hon. Member for Teignbridge (Mr. Nicholls) of 31 October,Official Report, column 160, what are the criteria for the 1990 target number of factory inspectors;
(2) what was the target number of factory inspectors for 1 April 1988 and April 1989; and what it is for 1 April 1990.
§ Mr. NichollsThe Government have made financial provision for the Health and Safety Executive to allow recruitment as follows:
Total factory inspectors in HSE1 Inspectors in HM Factory Inspectorate 1 April 1988 634 574 1 April 1989 2 649 588 1 April 1990 640 590 1 Includes inspectors on non-inspection duties eg those contributing to policy or technical standards. 2 Following an unexpectedly high rate of resignations during 1987–88, this "target" was reduced in October 1988 by HSE to 638. The criteria for HSE's 1990 target for factory inspectors were set out in the Health and Safety Commission's plan of work for 1989–90 and beyond.