Health and Safety (Hansard, 27 June 1996)

§ Mr. Ian McCartney
To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what was the cost in each of the past five years of(a) sick pay and (b) compensation paid to employees of his Department or their families, or members of the 190W public, as a result of (i) minor, (ii) major and (iii) fatal injuries related to the work of his Department, detailing incidents involving information technology and those involving expenditure of more than £5,000. [33498]

§ Mr. Willetts
The table gives available sick pay and compensation costs for the Central Cabinet Office, including No. 10, and the executive agencies for which I am responsible.

Part A: Sick pay

Minor £ Major £

Cabinet Office and its Agencies

1991–92 1,313.28 Nil

1992–93 694.28 Nil

1993–94 8,935.80 Nil

1994–95 11,595.20 4,663.88

1995–96

COI

1991–92 Nil Nil

1992–93 Nil Nil

1993–94 Nil 10,549.02

1994–95 Nil 1,399.17

1995–96 Nil Nil

There were no reported fatal injuries. Part B:

Compensation paid to employees, their families or members of the public:

Nil return from all Departments/Agencies except COI: 1 case 1994–95 £90,000 paid to employee.

Incidents involving information technology:

COI: 1 case 1993—Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI).

Incidents involving expenditure of more than £5,000 (costs of sick leave may not all fall in one financial year):

OHSA: 1 case 1994–95—fall.

CCC: 1 case 1994–95—fall/slipped whilst patrolling perimeter fence.

COI: 1 case 1993–94—RSI.

PACE, SAFE and TBA have Nil returns for all categories and all years.

HMSO—The information is not held centrally and can only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

Not all work-related injuries incurred sick pay.

§ Mr. McCartney
To ask the Deputy Prime Minister 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. [33496]
191W

§ Mr. Willetts
The information requested from the Cabinet Office, its agencies, the Central Office of Information and HMSO is as followsCabinet Office and its Agencies:

1991–92: Nil

1992–93: Nil

1993–94: One

1994–95: Three

1995–96: Five

Central Office of Information:

No occasions. On no occasion was the Health and Safety Commission involved.

HMSO:

The information is not held centrally and can only be provided at disproportionate cost.

§ Mr. McCartney
To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what was the cost in each of the past five years of rectifying working conditions that were the responsibility of his Department and its agencies, to bring them up to acceptable health and safety standards, detailing incidents involving information technology and those involving expenditure of more than £5,000. [33499]

§ Mr. Willetts
The Cabinet Office, its agencies, the Central Office of Information and HMSO all have rolling programmes of maintenance which are designed to ensure that working conditions meet acceptable health and safety standards. They also respond to specific concerns as they arise. Information on this type of expenditure is as follows:
Cabinet Office and its Agencies:

1991–92: Nil

1992–93: Nil

1993–94: £6,700

1994–95: £48,600

1995–96: £109,700

Central Office of Information:

Nil.

There are no incidents involving information technology.

HMSO:

The information is not held centrally and can only be provided at disproportionate cost.

§ Mr. McCartney
To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many(a) minor, (b) major and (c) fatal injuries have been suffered by staff in his Department and its agencies in work-related incidents in each of the past five years, showing in each year how many were related to information technology and giving details of all incidents involving fatalities. [33497]

§ Mr. Willetts
The information requested from the Cabinet Office, it agencies, the Central Office of Information and HMSO is as follows:

Minor Major

Cabinet Office and its Agencies

1991–92 54 Nil

1992–93 66 Nil

1993–94 81 Nil

1994–95 95 Nil

1995–96 127 1

192W

Minor Major

Central Office of Information

1991–92 21 Nil

1992–93 13 Nil

1993–94 3 ¹1

1994–95 Nil Nil

1995–96 3 Nil

Minor injuries consisted mainly of paper cuts, minor bruises and pulled muscles reported to first aiders. There were no minor injuries related to information technology.

¹ The one major injury in COI in 1993–94 was related to information technology.

There were no reported fatal injuries. For HMSO, the information requested is not held centrally and can only be provided at disproportionate cost.

Part A: Sick pay
	Minor £	Major £
Cabinet Office and its Agencies
1991–92	1,313.28	Nil
1992–93	694.28	Nil
1993–94	8,935.80	Nil
1994–95	11,595.20	4,663.88
1995–96
COI
1991–92	Nil	Nil
1992–93	Nil	Nil
1993–94	Nil	10,549.02
1994–95	Nil	1,399.17
1995–96	Nil	Nil

	Minor	Major
Cabinet Office and its Agencies
1991–92	54	Nil
1992–93	66	Nil
1993–94	81	Nil
1994–95	95	Nil
1995–96	127	1

	Minor	Major
Central Office of Information
1991–92	21	Nil
1992–93	13	Nil
1993–94	3	¹1
1994–95	Nil	Nil
1995–96	3	Nil
Minor injuries consisted mainly of paper cuts, minor bruises and pulled muscles reported to first aiders. There were no minor injuries related to information technology.
¹ The one major injury in COI in 1993–94 was related to information technology.
There were no reported fatal injuries.	For HMSO, the information requested is not held centrally and can only be provided at disproportionate cost.