HC Deb 20 January 2003 vol 398 cc87-8W
Mrs. Helen Clark

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) whether his Department and its agencies have met the commitment arising from Action Point 13 of the June 2000 strategy statement on Revitalising Health and Safety, to summarise health and safety performance and plans in annual reports from the year 2000–01 onwards; [89517]

(2) which senior officials within his Department and its agencies take responsibility for health and safety at board or equivalent level; and where their names are publicised; [89518]

(3) what information he has collated on the application to his Department and its agencies of the checklist, circulated by letter by Sir Richard Mottram, referred to under Action Point 12 of the Revitalising Health and Safety Strategy statement; and if he will make a statement. [89519]

Mr. Nicholas Brown

In accordance with Action Point 14 of the Revitalising Health and Safety Strategy, a High Level Forum (HLF), comprising representatives from all main Government Departments to provide leadership on health and safety management issues within the civil service was established in January 2001. On behalf of this group, Sir Richard Mottram circulated the ministerial checklist referred to in Action Point 12 in July 2001. In August 2002, HLF issued a Good Practice Guide to all Departments and their agencies reminding them of the current legal requirements that they should meet and setting out a number of basic aims which they should look to have in place. These included having in place a Health and Safety Policy Statement, a nominated Board member with responsibility for Health and Safety, a report on health and safety performance in annual reports (Action Point 13) and a properly structured health and safety management system linked to adoption of the ministerial checklist (Action Point 12) and the Health and Safety Executive's guidance Successful Health and Safety Management (HSG 65).

The High Level Forum is currently reviewing progress made by Departments in the adoption of the checklist and guidance.

Within the Department for Work and Pensions a new Health and Safety Policy Statement was signed in October 2001. This is implemented through a structured health and safety management system, and in particular though Statements of Internal Control.

As with all Departments, the Permanent Secretary takes overall responsibility for health and safety. At departmental board level the Director of Human Resources has been given particular responsibility and, in addition, Jobcentre Plus, the Department's largest agency with some 85,000 staff has appointed a full-time Director of Safety. The DWP departmental report published in May 2002 sets out the new arrangements including the resetting of baselines against which rigorous targets for reductions in work-related accidents and ill health can be set. Details of progress against these targets will be published in future reports.