HC Deb 19 July 1990 vol 176 cc694-5W
Mr. Tony Lloyd

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment (1) on what basis he made his estimate of the savings in the cost of administration staff if the Neasden Health and Safety Executive office were to close;

(2) if he will give details of estimates of (a) the number and (b) the cost of extra inspector hours used in travelling if the Neasden Health and Safety Executive office were to close and of the number of inspections forgone.

Mr. Nicholls

The information requested is not available as the Health and Safety Executive has no current plans to close the Neasden office.

Mr. Tony Lloyd

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will give details of the number of inspections performed by Health and Safety Executive offices in(a) Neasden, (b) Barking and (c) Southwark.

Mr. Nicholls

The information requested is not available in the form requested. The total number of visits made by Health and Safety Executive inspectors operating from the three locations between 1 April 1989 and 31 March 1990 is as follows:

Number
Neasden 5,235
Barking 3,085
Southwark 10,558

Mr. Tony Lloyd

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the policy of the Health and Safety Executive with respect to advertising job vacancies internally in the London region.

Mr. Nicholls

Jobs are filled by seeking the most suitable people in the most economical way, taking account of the requirements of the post, the capacities and career aspirations of available people, and the possibilities of finding suitable candidates by normal postings action or by promotion. In general, posts are advertised where the HSE has difficulty—or expects to have difficulty—in securing sufficient suitable candidates: not as a matter of course.