HC Deb 10 November 1992 vol 213 cc753-4W
Mr. Galbraith

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many(a) prohibition notices and (b) improvement notices were issued on local authorities by the Health and Safety Executive in each year since 1974.

Mr. McLoughlin

The information requested is available only for the period after 1 April 1988; enforcement statistics before that date do not separately identify local authorities. The following table shows the total number of prohibition and improvement notices issued to local authorities by relevant HSE inspectorates for each year since then.

Enforcement notices issued against local authorities1 by HSE's Factory and Agricultural Inspectorates, 1988–89 to 1990–91
Type of Notice
Date of Issue2 Improvement Deferred Prohibition Immediate Prohibition Total
1988–89 54 1 31 86
1989–90 52 2 20 74
1990–91 89 2 29 120
1 Offences or breaches of legislation occurring in premises, or arising from activities, controlled by local authorities.
2 Years commencing 1 April.

Mr. Galbraith

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what was(a) the total number of prosecutions and (b) the average fine against local authorities by the Health and Safety Executive under the Health and Safety at Work, etc. Act in each year since 1974.

Mr. McLoughlin

The information requested is available only for the period after 1 April 1988; enforcement statistics before that date do not separately identify local authorities. The following table shows the number of informations laid against local authorities by relevant HSE inspectorates since then.

Prosecution action1 taken against local authorities,2 by HSE's Factory and Agricultural Inspectorates, 1988–89 to 1990–91
Date of Hearing3 Number of Informations laid of which Convictions Average fine per conviction (£)
1988–89 22 22 594
1989–90 39 31 1,435
1990–91 41 39 953
1 All action taken under the Health and Safety at Work Act etc. 1974, subordinate regulations and other related legislation.
2 Offences or breaches of legislation occurring in premises, or arising from activities, controlled by local authorities.
3 Years commencing 1 April.

Mr. Galbraith

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what was(a) the total number of prosecutions against local authority directors and (b) the average fines under the Health and Safety at Work, etc. Act 1974 in each year.

Mr. McLoughlin

The information requested is available only after 1 April 1988; enforcement statistics before that date do not separately identify local authorities. HSE's factory and agricultural inspectorates enforce health and safety legislation as it applies to local authority premises and activities. Since then there have been no prosecutions of local authority directors.