§ Mr. LidingtonTo ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will list the qualifications required by his Department of a candidate for appointment as a health and safety officer at the grade of HPTO.
§ Mr. David DavisWhen recruitment was centrally co-ordinated, with standardised entry criteria, the basic qualification for the grade of HPTO was a relevant degree plus two years' training/experience. In May 1993 authority to set appropriate eligibility criteria for non-scheduled grades—which includes HPTO—was delegated to Ministers in charge of Departments. Within my own Department there are no health and safety officers in the grade of HPTO.