§ Mr. McNamaraTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what steps the Health and Safety Executive has taken to ensure that the medical records of former employees of Capper Pass and Son Ltd., working at the Capper Pass smelting plant, were retained by their parent company Rio Tinto. [100104]
§ Mr. PrescottThe Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has not been able to identify any specific communication in its files with Capper Pass concerning the retention of medical records around the time when the Capper Pass smelter closed in 1991. The HSE doctor who dealt with Capper Pass at that time no longer works for HSE.
Duties are placed on employers in specific legislation controlling the use of lead and ionising radiation to retain certain records, and to retain certain health-related information under the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 1989. HSE inspectors do not routinely follow up the retention of records every time premises close.
In recent months, due to problems concerning release of the records to representatives of former employees of Capper Pass, HSE staff have communicated with Rio 146W Tinto plc about the retention and ownership of the records. I have corresponded with Rio Tinto senior staff and have been assured that Rio Tinto's senior occupational physician is arranging for relevant medical files to be released to those acting for former employees as soon as practicable.