HC Deb 16 July 1992 vol 211 cc924-6W
Mr. Henderson

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what proportion of the Health and Safety Executive's expenditure was provided directly from the Government in grant aid for the years(a) 1975–76 and (b) 1990–91.

Mr. McLoughlin

The proportions of the Health and Safety Executive's expenditure provided by grant in aid for the years 1975–76 and 1990–91 were 98 per cent. and 75 per cent.

Mr. Henderson

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what specific resources have been allocated to the Health and Safety Executive to ensure that employers will comply with regulations enacting(a) the framework directive—89/391/EEC—(b) the workplace directive—89/654/EEC—(c) the manual handling of loads directive—90/269/EEC—(d) the use of personal protective equipment directive—89/655/EEC—(e) the display screen equipment directive—90/270/EEC—(f) the carcinogens directive—90/394/EEC—and (g) the biological agents directive—90/679/EEC.

Mr. McLoughlin

In recent years, the Government have provided the Health and Safety Commission—HSC—with the resources it has sought for the Health and Safety Executive in public expenditure survey bids. HSE's staffing is now at its highest level ever.

In the course of its inspection, advice and enforcement activities, the HSE promotes compliance with all relevant health and safety legislation. HSE's plans for implementing the large number of new EC requirements are set out in the HSC's plan of work for 1992–93 and beyond.

1991. Mr. Henderson

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many(a) doctors and (b) occupational nurses were employed by the Health and Safety Executive in (a) 1979 and (b)

Mr. McLoughlin

On 1 April 1979, HSE employed 86.5 doctors and 91 nurses. Corresponding figures for 1991 were 56.5 and 53.5 respectively.

Mr. Henderson

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what plans the Government have to increase the staffing levels of the Health and Safety Executive.

Mr. McLoughlin

On 1 July 1992, the Health and Safety Executive's staffing was at its highest level ever, at 4,404 including 1,499 inspectors. As set out on pages 42 and 43 of the Health and Safety Commission's plan of work for 1992–93 and beyond, published in March this year and available in the Library, it is planned to increase total staffing to 4,523, including 1,592 inspectors, by 1 April 1993.

Mr. Henderson

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many complaints in total from employees concerning health and safety at work were dealt with by Health and Safety Executive area offices in the years 1988–89, 1989–90 and 1990–91.

Mr. McLoughlin

The table shows the information which is available on the total number of complaints received and dealt with by the agricultural, factory and quarries inspectorates—AI, FI, QI—in the Health and Safety Executive area offices for the years 1988–89, 1989–90 and 1990–91:

Year (1 April—31 March) Number of complaints
1988–89 1 15,217
1989–90 2 19,591
1990–91 18,625
1 AI and FI only.
2 Includes QI figures from 1 November 1989 when the inspectorate joined the factory and agricultural inspectorate division.

Information is not separately available on the number of complaints received from employees about health and safety at work.

Mr. Tony Lloyd

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if she will publish the Health and Safety Executive report entitled report of the working group on improving the impact of the division's work; and if she will make a statement.

Mr. McLoughlin

I will write to the hon. Member.

Mr. Henderson

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many telephone inquiries the Health and Safety Executive public inquiry points dealt with in total in the years 1988–89, 1989–90 and 1990–91.

Mr. McLoughlin

The number of telephone inquiries dealt with by the public inquiry points are as follows:

Number
1988–89 67,664
1989–90 92,537
1990–91 92,134