HC Deb 14 May 1990 vol 172 cc333-4W
Mr. Bill Michie

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment (1) how many non-specialist Health and Safety Executive inspectors, by grade and discipline, were employed by the Health and Safety Executive technology division in each of the last five years;

(2) how many trained specialist Health and Safety Executive inspectors, by grade and discipline, were employed by the Health and Safety Executive technology division in each of the last five years;

(3) how many Health and Safety Executive inspectors, by grade and discipline, were in training in the Health and Safety Executive technology division in each of the last five years.

Mr. Nicholls

HSE's technology division was set up in 1987. The table shows HSE inspectors within technology division by grade. Information on discipline is not readily available and records do not separately identify specialist inspectors in training before 1989.

at 1 April
1987 1988 1989 1990
Specialist inspectors
Superintending Specialist Inspector (Band B) 4 9 9 9
Superintending Inspectors (Band C) 23 20 21 21
Principal Specialist Inspector 102 99 101 98
Specialist Inspectors 83 75 72 74.5
(of whom in training) (n/a) (n/a) (12) (16)
1987 1988 1989 1990
Factory Inspectors
Deputy Chief Inspector of Factories 2 2 2 2
Deputy Superintending Inspector 3 2 2 2
Inspector 1B 5 2 1
Nuclear Inspector
Principal Inspector of Nuclear Installations 2 3 2 2

Mr. Andrew F. Bennett

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what the current estimated capital costs of the computer system which will replace the Health and Safety Executive shield system will be; and what cost-benefit evaluation has been carried out by the Health and Safety Executive or by any other organisation of the need for this new system.

Mr. Nicholls

The system (called FOCUS) being planned for HSE's new field operations division will supersede a number of existing systems, including SHIELD. The current estimated capital cost directly attributable to FOCUS is £.0.5 million.

A preliminary cost-benefit analysis of the new system was carried out at the feasibility stage. Since then the scope of the project has been widened to reflect the structure of the newly established field operations division. A further investment appraisal will therefore be produced later this year.