§ Mr. DoranTo ask the Secretary of State for Energy how many inspectors in his Department are required to go offshore in exercise of their responsibilities; how many hold offshore individual certificates; and, in each case, when the individual certificate was issued.
§ Mr. Peter MorrisonAll 44 inspectors currently in post may be required to go offshore in exercise of their responsibilities. Every inspector is issued with appropriate warrants by the Secretary of State for Energy immediately after being appointed.
§ Mr. DoranTo ask the Secretary of State for Energy what elements of his Department's safety directorate's tasks are being postponed as a result of staff shortages.
§ Mr. Peter MorrisonThe overall aims of the safety directorate, within the framework laid down b) Parliament, are to encourage and guide the efforts of the offshore industry to prevent accidents, to achieve higher632W standards of health and safety offshore and to seek to ensure that offshore installations, their equipment, wells and pipelines are structurally sound and fit for their intended purposes, and that they are managed and operated properly. In support of these aims a large number of tasks, of varying degrees of importance, are undertaken. As with any organisation, my safety directorate must prioritise these tasks while ensuring that their aims are met. High priority will continue to be given to offshore inspections and the investigation of accidents offshore; the recruitment campaign currently under way is aimed at ensuring the field inspectorate is brought fully up to strength.
§ Mr. DoranTo ask the Secretary of State for Energy (1) what is the current number of posts for specialist staff within his Department's safety directorate; what is the current number of staff in place; and what plans he has to fill empty posts;
(2) what is the current number of posts in his Department's safety directorate in Aberdeen and London; what are the current numbers of staff in those posts; and what plans he has to fill empty posts.
§ Mr. Peter MorrisonThere are 63 posts for specialist staff in the safety directorate. Five of which are newly created. Fifty specialist staff are in post.
The total number of posts in the safety directorate 102, 17 of which are in Aberdeen, 84 in London and one in Great Yarmouth. There are 16 staff currently in Aberdeen, 72 in London and one in Great Yarmouth.
Open and in-service competitions are in progress to fill the specialist vacancies.
§ Mr. DoranTo ask the Secretary of State for Energy what percentage of fatal accidents offshore have been investigated by his Department's safety directorate over the last five years; and how much has been allocated out of departmental resources for 1990–91.
§ Mr. Peter MorrisonIt is, and has always been, the policy of my Department to investigate all fatal accidents reported under the Offshore Installations (Inspectors and Casualties) Regulations 1973 and the Submarine Pipe-Lines (Inspectors etc) Regulations 1977. Sufficient resources are always made available for such investigations.