§ Andrew BennettTo ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the cost was to the Health and Safety Executive in 2002–03 of employing casual staff, broken down by region; and when this practice will be terminated and only permanent staff employed. [132538]
§ Mr. BrowneDuring 2002–03, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) employed both casual and agency staff. We do not have details of the costs broken down 301W by specific regions. The costs shown are the only breakdown available. A further breakdown could be made available only at disproportionate costs.
Annual costs by region (£) Agency staff Bootle 660,844 London 418,180 Nationally 817,514 Sub total 1,896,538 Casual staff Bootle 35,784 London 37,059 Nationally 18,288 Sub total 91,131 Agency and casual staff total 1,987,669 HSE has no plans to end the practice of using temporary staff. These contracts provide essential short-term cover for such events as maternity/sick cover, projects or gaps prior to recruitment. The use of temporary staff is carefully monitored to ensure that these are used only in appropriate circumstances.
§ Andrew BennettTo ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the basis is of his policy that the Field Operations Division of the Health and Safety Executive no longer visit companies where an adverse insurance report indicating defects in plant and equipment has been received. [132541]
§ Mr. BrowneThe Field Operations Directorate of the Health and Safety Executive has never had a policy to visit companies where an adverse inspection report has been received. Until recently they had an administrative procedure to write to companies asking them to confirm that action had been taken. This procedure, which involved 10 full time staff equivalents, added little or no value as companies had almost invariably acted on the report. The procedure was stopped in April 2003 and the administrative staff time applied to work more directly supporting inspectors.