HC Deb 17 December 1993 vol 234 cc1029-32W
Mr. Allen

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what costs have so far been incurred by the Health and Safety Executive in the course of its pay and grading review, including both the costs of external consultants and in-house staff.

Mr. Michael Forsyth

Up to 14 December 1993 the Health and Safety Executive had incurred costs of £178,010.72 in connection with its pay and grading review. This figure includes purchase of software, consultants' fees, and associated travel and subsistence expenses. The cost in terms of in-house staff is not available and could not be obtained without disproportionate cost. Staff throughout the organisation are involved in aspects of this initiative.

Mr. Allen

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many factory inspectors were employed in the Health and Safety Executive on 1 June; and what proportion of these were in the class II grade.

Mr. Michael Forsyth

On 1 June 1993 the Health and Safety Executive employed 722.5 factory inspectors. Of these 29 per cent. were in the class II grade.

Figures given are full-time equivalent counts; part-timers are counted as half units.

Mr. Allen

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many people occupied posts in the Health and Safety Executive at grade 4 level and above on 1 April 1990 and on 1 December 1993.

Mr. Michael Forsyth

On 1 April 1990 the number of posts occupied by the Health and Safety Executive at grade 4 level and above was 12; on 1 December 1993 it was 14.

Mr. Allen

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what imbalances in grade mix had been identified by the Health and Safety Executive in the period up to April 1990; and what action the Health and Safety Executive had taken to reduce these imbalances.

Mr. Michael Forsyth

No imbalances in grade mix were identified by the Health and Safety Executive in the period up to April 1990, or have been since.

Mr. Allen

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many staff in the Health and Safety Executive, and in what grades, have been identified as surplus.

Mr. Michael Forsyth

The Health and Safety Executive has not identified any as being surplus.

Mr. Allen

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what customer satisfaction surveys have been conducted by the Health and Safety Executive; and what were the results of these surveys in terms of percentage of respondents who identified the service they received from the Health and Safety Executive as good or excellent.

Mr. Michael Forsyth

The Health and Safety Executive carried out customer satisfaction surveys in 1992, and 1993 as part of its commitment to the citizens charter. Results for 1993 show that 85 per cent. of people were satisfied with the way HSE responded to inquiries, and 95 per cent. described the service obtained as good or excellent.

Mr. Allen

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what grant in aid was paid to the Health and Safety Executive in 1991–92, 1992–93, and 1993–94 to date; and what sums are due to be paid in 1994–95, 1995–96 and 1997–98.

Mr. Michael Forsyth

The Health and Safety Executive received £157.7 million grant in aid in 1991–92 and £171.3 million in 1992–93. For 1993–94, up to 30 November 1993, HSE had received £118.2 million. Information about provision for HSE in future years, will be published in the departmental report.

Mr. Allen

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what recruitment of staff is planned by the Health and Safety Executive before 1994.

Mr. Michael Forsyth

The Health and Safety Executive is considering plans to announce recruitment competitions for certain groups of specialist inspectors such as railways inspectors. The timing of any such recruitments has not been decided.

Dr. Lynne Jones

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what proportion of accidents reported at work are investigated by the Health and Safety Executive; and what are the criteria for deciding which accidents to investigate.

Mr. Michael Forsyth

Provisional figures for the financial year 1992–93 show that 6.4 per cent. of the total number of workplace injuries reported under the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1985 and associated legislation were investigated.

All fatalities are investigated and the proportion of other injuries investigated varies according to the severity of the injury incurred, the magnitude of the hazard and the potential risk to workers or the public. Other criteria taken into account include the likelihood that a serious breach of the law has occurred, whether the accident appears to be one of a series of recurring events and whether investigation will provide better information about a new process.

Mr. Allen

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many staff in the Health and Safety Executive were approached to take early retirement in 1990–91, 1991–92 and 1993–94 to date.

Mr. Michael Forsyth

The number of staff who took early retirement from the Health and Safety Executive in the relevant years are as follows:

Numbers
1990–91 33
1991–92 27
1993 to date1 45
115 December 1993.

The reasons for early retirement are varied, including medical and compassionate grounds. Records do not distinguish between self-nomination and invitation. None of the posts from which these staff retired had been identified as surplus.

Mr. Allen

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many agricultural inspectors were employed in the Health and Safety Executive on 1 June; and what proportion of these were assistant agricultural inspectors.

Mr. Michael Forsyth

On 1 June 1993 the Health and Safety Executive employed 185 agricultural inspectors. Of these 29 per cent. were assistant agricultural inspectors.

Figures given are full-time equivalent counts, part-timers are counted as half units.

Mr. Allen

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what impact the surpluses of staff in the employment group as a whole will have upon the staffing levels and grade mix in the Health and Safety Executive.

Mr. Michael Forsyth

The Health and Safety Executive has offered, and will continue to offer, vacancies which arise to suitable surplus staff from the Employment Group. This has had no impact on staffing levels or grade mix within the executive, nor is any foreseen in the future.

Mr. Allen

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many of the Health and Safety Executive's staff were employed on 1 December on deregulation initiatives from either himself or the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry.

Mr. Michael Forsyth

On 1 December, the Health and Safety Executive had a deregulation unit with three staff. It also had four staff working on the Health and Safety Commission's review of regulation. However, staff throughout the organisation are involved in aspects of this initiative.