HC Deb 15 February 2000 vol 344 cc509-10W
Mr. Gibb

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to his answer of 2 December 1999,Official Report, column 288W, on refrigerator manufacturers, if he will list the regulations referred to in respect of employment, health and safety and environmental legislation. [104884]

Ms Hewitt

A list of the main regulations in respect of employment, health and safety and environmental legislation is as shown. More generally, the overall number of regulations that impact on a business will depend to some extent on the size of that business and its particular sector of industry. The Small Business Service, which is to be formally launched in April this year, will consider the applicability and impact of regulations on businesses in different circumstances.

List of main Employment, Health and Safety and Environment Regulations Employment Legislation

The main duties on employers are set out in the:

Discrimination

Health and Safely The Health and Safety at Work, etc. Act 1974.

Other main pieces of generic health and safety legislation which may apply are: the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999; the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992; the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998; the Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations 1992; and the Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995

Environmental Regulation

There are three sets of regulations that apply specifically to refrigeration: The Energy Information (Refrigerators and Freezers) Regulation (SI 3076–1994) The Energy Efficiency (Refrigerators and Freezers) Regulation (SI 1941–1997) The Environmental Protection (Control of Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer) Regulations 1996 (SI 506–1996) implementing Council Regulation (EC) 3093–94 on substances that deplete the ozone layer.

In addition the refrigerator manufacturers also may need to comply with the Framework on Materials in Contact with Food (SI 2487–1990), and potentially with the following regulations on effluent discharge: The Water Industry Act 1991 The Environment Act 1995 The Environmental Protection Act 1990 (for Integrated Pollution Control); and The Pollution Prevention and Control Act 1999 (for Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control).