§ Mr. Ian McCartneyTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland on how many occasions in each of the past five years health and safety problems in his Department and its agencies have been reported via internal monitoring; and on how many occasions the Health and Safety Commission has become involved. [33504]
§ Sir John WheelerThe Northern Ireland Departments operate a policy of continuous monitoring of health and safety issues both by line management and by appointed safety advisory officers. Most issues are of a minor nature and dealt with at operational level on a day-to-day basis. No formal record is maintained.
The Health and Safety Commission's remit does not extend to Northern Ireland. The equivalent local body is the Health and Safety division of the Department of Economic Development, which has received the following complaints from Northern Ireland Departments:
- 1991–92: 5
- 1992–93: 5
- 1993–94: 13
- 1994–95: 12
- 1995–96: 5
The Northern Ireland Office also operates a policy of continuous monitoring of health and safety issues. The Health and Safety Commission has not been involved in any cases.