§ Mrs. Helen ClarkTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence 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. [89514]
§ Dr. MoonieThe Ministry of Defence has since 1999–2000 published an annual report by the Chief Environment and Safety Officer Ministry of Defence (CESO(MOD)) indicating the progress made on health and safety issues, including performance and forthcoming initiatives in the Department. This includes all agencies in the Ministry of Defence, as CESO(MOD) has a remit from my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State to monitor their activities. The report is reviewed by the Defence Environment and Safety Board (DESB), which I chair, and when accepted by the DESB, it is published on the world wide web for public information.
§ Mrs. Helen ClarkTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence 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. [89515]
§ Dr. MoonieMy right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence is the responsible person for health and safety in the Ministry of Defence. This is identified in the Ministry of Defence Policy Statement (July 2000) for the Management of Safety and Environmental Protection. Within the policy, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State appoints the Second Permanent Under-Secretary as the Senior Manager for the Defence Council to be responsible for MOD policy, standards,834W and where appropriate, regulations. As Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, I am appointed to act as Green Minister and Chair the Defence Environment and Safety Board. This role provides direction, sets objectives and monitors the Department's performance on environment and safety matters
The tasks required to discharge the Secretary of State's responsibilities are delegated to members of the Defence Council and to Chief Executives of Defence Trading Fund Agencies. They are required to produce their own Organisation and Arrangements Statement for health and safety, linked to the Secretary of State policy. The separate statements identify a Management Board member from their organisation who has a health and safety role. The Heads of the organisation will have ultimate accountability for health and safety in their organisation. The names of the persons with specific health and safety duties are identified in each of the Organisational Statements produced. These persons are identified by post rather than an individual's name.
§ Mrs. Helen ClarkTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence 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. [89516]
§ Dr. MoonieThe Ministry of Defence accepted the checklist circulated by Sir Richard Mottram under Action Point 12 of the initiative of Revitalising Health and Safety. The checklist was assessed against the Ministry of Defence safety management system, and as a result, policy changes were made and the objectives contained in the checklist were integrated into the MOD's Safety Environment and Fire Audit Methodology. The MOD had already adopted the Health and Safety Executive guidance, Successful Heath and Safety Management (HSG 65), into its safety management system and the impact of the checklist was minimal.
The checklist was circulated to each of the Service and Trading Fund Agency safety focus, to review their own arrangements.