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Scott Inquiry
Mr. Llew Smith: To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Wallsend (Mr. Byers), 12 June, Official Report , column 373 , if he will set out the reason for declining to give details of the dates of letters sent from his office to the Scott inquiry. [29158]
The Prime Minister: The Government do not propose to disclose details of confidential exchanges with the Scott inquiry.
Former Prisoners of War
Mr. Flynn: To ask the Prime Minister what plans he has to approach the Japanese Government to secure new compensation for British prisoners of war held by the Japanese. [29303]
The Prime Minister: We are precluded on legal grounds from raising the question of compensation formally with the Japanese Government. I have drawn their attention to the strong feelings which the situation of the former prisoners arouses in the UK. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary most recently discussed the matter with his Japanese counterpart at the G7 summit in Halifax on 16 June.
Ministerial Speeches
Mr. Battle: To ask the Prime Minister what is his estimate of the total annual cost to public funds of publishing every Minister's speeches. [29866]
The Prime Minister: It is usual practice for ministerial speeches made on official occasions to be published and distributed to the press by the relevant departmental press office. The cost is not separately identified in the form requested and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
WALES
Privatisation
Mr. McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list those parts of his Department or departmental agencies which were privatised without an in-house bid; if he will indicate the expertise that was absent in his Department or departmental agencies which prevented an in -house bid taking place; which future parts of his Department or departmental agencies he intends to privatise; and which of them do not have the necessary in-house expertise to mount an in-house bid. [29430]
Mr. Redwood: My Department has strategically contracted out architects and surveyors services, an activity identified as peripheral to its core functions but
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one which the private sector specialises in and is well equipped to deliver.The Department and its agency, CADW, have not yet identified any other existing activities as appropriate for contracting out without an in-house bid.
Age Discrimination
Mr. Alan Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what progress has been made in the "Too Old, Who Says?" campaign in Wales; and if he will make a statement. [29511]
Mr. Richards: The campaign is being taken forward by the Employment Department. I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Eastbourne (Mr. Waterson) on 13 June 1995, Official Report , column 443 , by my hon. Friend the Minister of State, Department of Employment. To compete successfully, employers in Wales must be ready to take full advantage of the skills, reliability, experience and commitment that older people have to offer. It is in employers' best interest to treat people on their merits, regardless of their age.
Pupil Numbers
Mr. Win Griffiths: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many (a) primary and (b) secondary school pupils there were in each local education authority in (a) 1990 and (b) 1994. [29323]
Mr. Richards: The information requested is shown in the following tables:
Full-time equivalent pupil numbers at January each year in:
1990 1994
|LEA |Grant |LEA |Grant
|maintained|maintained|maintained|maintained
|schools |schools |schools |schools
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
(a) Primary schools
Clwyd |37,208 |- |37,957 |450
Dyfed |31,853 |- |31,567 |-
Gwent |41,499 |- |43,576 |216
Gwynedd |19,868 |- |19,426 |254
Mid Glamorgan |54,892 |- |56,814 |-
Powys |10,361 |- |10,661 |27
South Glamorgan |35,599 |- |39,472 |-
West Glamorgan |34,463 |- |35,242 |-
Wales |265,743 |- |274,715 |947
(b) Secondary schools
Clwyd |26,487 |- |23,195 |3,558
Dyfed |23,182 |- |24,571 |-
Gwent |28,222 |- |28,517 |1,485
Gwynedd |15,849 |- |15,318 |-
Mid Glamorgan |36,161 |- |38,590 |-
Powys |7,814 |- |7,927 |-
South Glamorgan |25,743 |- |24,867 |2,497
West Glamorgan |22,565 |- |22,909 |967
Wales |185,723 |- |185,894 |8,507
Source: Schools census.
A-level Results
Mr. Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the average A-level point score of students embarking on first degrees at Welsh higher education institutions in (a) 1990 91, (b) 1991 92, (c) 1992 93 and (d) 1993 94; and if he will make a
statement. [29045]
Mr. Richards: Information is not readily available for the university of Wales or the Open university. Information on the average A- level point score of students on the first year of the first degree course at Welsh higher education institutions other than the university of Wales is shown in the following table:
First-year first degree students whose qualification on entry
was "A" level at Welsh higher education institutions<1>
|1990-91 |1991-92 |1992-93 |<2>1993-94
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total first year students |3,535 |4,537 |6,297 |6,506
Number of students
with A-level on entry |2,222 |2,614 |3,420 |3,245
Average A-level score<3> |10.3 |10.5 |10.4 |11.0
<1> At November, excluding university of Wales and Open university.
<2> Data provisional pending publication.
<3> Average score for those with A-level on entry.
Small and Medium-Sized Businesses
Ms Primarolo: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) what is his Department's definition of a small business and a medium-sized business; [29574]
(2) in which sectors of the economy (a) small businesses and (b) medium- sized businesses are predominantly to be found. [29577]
Mr. Gwilym Jones: There is a wide range of definitions of small and medium-sized businesses used in practice, each valid in its own context. For example, the annual small firms merit award for research competition is aimed at businesses with up to 50 employees, whereas eligibility for the small firms loan guarantee scheme is determined by both turnover and employee numbers, the thresholds for which vary from sector to sector. Data on the number of VAT-based enterprises in Wales by industry and turnover sizeband are published in table 3E of Business Monitor PA1003 which is published annually by the Central Statistical Office. Copies are available in the Library of the House.
Ms Primarolo: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) how many people were employed by (a) small businesses and (b) medium-sized businesses in each of the last 10 years; and if he will break these figures down by gender; [29576]
(2) how many (a) small businesses and (b) medium- sized businesses were started up in each of the last 10 years; and if he will break these figures down by gender of the entrepreneur. [29575]
Mr. Gwilym Jones: There is no single official definition of a small or medium-sized business. However, data are available for Wales for 1984, 1987, 1989 and 1991 on the number of persons employed in census of employment data units, which roughly correspond to workplaces, broken down by size of employment. While comprehensive information on the number of business start-ups in Wales is not available, a good guide to trends
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in business start-ups is given by the number of new registrations for VAT. Data are available on the number of VAT registrations in Wales, for each year 1980 to 1993. The vast majority of VAT registrations are for small firms. All these data can be obtained from the NOMIS database through the Library of the House. Information by gender is not available.Women in Business
Ms Primarolo: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what initiatives his Department has to assist and encourage women who want to start their own businesses; and how the success of any initiative is monitored and assessed. [29573]
Mr. Richards: The business start-up scheme, operated through the training and enterprise councils, is available to all unemployed people wishing to start their own business. The scheme is monitored by the Welsh Office on a quarterly basis.
In addition, all TECs have equal opportunities policies supported by specific projects where appropriate. They are monitored by the TECs and through the annual Welsh Office/TEC business planning process.
Multiple Births
Mr. Wigley: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many sets of (a) twins, (b) triplets, (c) quadruplets, (d) quintuplets and (e) sextuplets were born in Wales in each year from 1990 to 1994; what was the total number of maternities in Wales in each year; and how many multiple births of each type in each year were conceived as a result of (i) in-vitro fertilisation, (ii) gamete intrafallopian transfer and (iii) other forms of assisted conception; and if he will make a statement. [29531]
Mr. Richards: The information requested on multiple and total maternities registered in England and Wales, for residents of Wales is as follows:
|1990 |1991 |1992 |1993 |1994
----------------------------------------------------------
Twins |397 |416 |423 |399 |431
Triplets |11 |6 |8 |8 |11
Quadruplets |1 |0 |0 |1 |0
Quintuplets |0 |1 |0 |0 |0
Sextuplets |0 |0 |0 |0 |0
All maternities |38,624|37,824|37,237|36,375|35,122
Figures relating to multiple births following assisted conception are available only for the United Kingdom as a whole and are contained in the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority annual reports, copies of which are available in the Library of the House.
OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION
Indonesian Police
Mrs. Clwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 5 May, Official Report , column 337 , if he will name the Indonesian police officer trained by his Department who is serving with the Brigade Mobile. [28907]
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Mr. Baldry [holding answer 15 June 1995]: Mr. Medhy Chumaedi.
Mrs. Clwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what scholarships, awards or other forms of training paid for by his Department have been received by Gorrys Mere of the Indonesian national police; and when, for how long and at what cost they were provided. [28905]
Mr. Baldry [holding answer 15 June 1995]: We have no record of having paid for any training for Lieutenant Colonel Gorrys Mere.
Mrs. Clwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what formal training the British consultants working in the Indonesian national police under the police management training project have had in human rights law; and to what extent the advice and training provided by the consultants involves specific advice and training in human rights law. [28901]
Mr. Baldry [holding answer 15 June 1995]: The consultants have had no formal training in human rights law and they have not provided any specific advice under the project on it.
Mrs. Clwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs under what scheme scholarship awards for Indonesian police officers are funded; what is the nature of the training provided by the scholarships; who provides the training; and to what extent the training involves formal instruction in human rights law. [28903]
Mr. Baldry [holding answer 15 June 1995]: Scholarship awards are funded under the technical co-operation programme and the Chevening scholarship scheme. The training provided includes courses on personnel management, business administration, training management, organisation development, leadership, training for trainers, and attachments to UK police forces. The training has been provided by British universities, RIPA International and Surrey and Gloucestershire constabulary. It does not include formal instruction in human rights law.
Mrs. Clwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs under what scheme study tours for Indonesian police officers are funded; what is the nature of the study involved; and to what extent the study involves the formal instruction in human rights law. [28902]
Mr. Baldry [holding answer 15 June 1995]: Study tours for Indonesian police officers are funded from the technical co-operation programme. They develop the trainees' diagnostic skills to analyse management and organisation problems. The study tours do not include formal instruction in human rights law.
Mrs. Clwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on what date the Government agreed to fund the police management training project in Indonesia; and on what date the project commenced. [28904]
Mr. Baldry [holding answer 15 June 1995]: We approved the national police management training project on 22 March 1990 and it began on 16 June 1990. Earlier support for the training of police tutors began in 1983.
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Children's Centre, Sri Lanka
Mr. Mandelson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what British financial or other support is provided to the International Childcare Trust training and children's centre at Makandura Gonawila in Sri Lanka. [29243]
Mr. Baldry: Since 1993 we have provided £10,000 for the completion of an irrigation well and installation of an irrigation system, and £68,000 towards two shanty development programmes.
Mr. Mandelson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations have been made to the Government of Sri Lanka to prevent the eviction of the International Childcare Trust training and children's centre from its property at Makandura, Gonawila, Sri Lanka. [29244]
Mr. Baldry: The British high commissioner in Colombo wrote to the additional secretary of the district where Makandura is situated on 2 June 1995 expressing concern about the request to vacate the property. The matter has also been brought to the attention of the President of Sri Lanka and is now in the hands of the permanent secretary to the Ministry of Health, Highways and Social Services.
Population Control Projects
Mr. Alton: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will place in the Library copies of IPPF and UNFPA evaluation and review reports on their projects in China and Tibet sent to his Department. [28951]
Mr. Baldry [holding answer 19 June 1995]: The United Nations Population Fund and the International Planned Parenthood Federation undertake reviews and evaluations of their country programmes. These are internal documents which are not made publicly available.
Georgia
Mr. Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what proposals hehas to extend the use of the know-how fund in Georgia. [29301]
Mr. Baldry: The size of the know-how fund programme for Georgia has recently been doubled. The fund will continue to provide rapid and flexible assistance to the reform process in Georgia. We have also provided emergency humanitarian assistance--£500,000 in 1994 95. This support is very much welcomed by Georgia.
East Timor
Mrs. Clwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 6 June, Official Report , column 58 , how many of the lighthouses, lightbeacons and lightbouys supplied under the navigational aids project with Indonesia are operating in East Timor or in its territorial waters. [29456]
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Mr. Baldry: None of the equipment supplied under the navigational aids project is located in East Timor or its waters.
Research and Development
Mr. Battle: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the ODA spent on research and development in each year since 1987. [29863]
Mr. Baldry: Net ODA expenditure on research and development was as follows:
0
|£ million
------------------------------------------------
1987-88 |32.5
1988-89 |34.2
1989-90 |36.2
1990-91 |47.1
1991-92 |56.0
1992-93 |86.7
1993-94 |116.0
1994-95 (estimated outturn) |91.8
Slovakia
Mr. Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what new proposals he has to extend the work of the know-how fund in Slovakia. [29298]
Mr. Baldry: Know-how fund assistance in Slovakia will continue to focus on financial services and banking; management and educational training; small and medium enterprise development; good governance and public administration.
An important element of our strategy is to extend the work of the know-how fund beyond Bratislava to the regions. The first phase of a three-year multi-sectoral regional capacity building project will begin in July 1995 and terms of reference for a rural tourism initiative in the Gemer region of eastern Slovakia are being drawn up. We continue to support the development of economic regeneration strategies through the local authorities technical links scheme and through an on-going project aimed at local government reform. Know-how fund assistance will also begin to reflect Slovakia's wish to join the European Union.
EMPLOYMENT
Minimum Wage
Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State of State for Employment, pursuant to his answer of 23 May to the hon. Member for Ealing, North (Mr. Greenway), Official Report , column 563, how many people in full -time employment in the United Kingdom earn less than the minimum hourly wage rates in (a) Portugal, (b) Greece and (c) Spain. [26980]
Mr. Oppenheim: Of a sample of 102,700 full-time employees in the 1994 new earnings survey, 53 in the sample said that they earned less than £1.30 per hour, Portugal; 184 earned less than £1.70 per hour, Greece; and 233 earned less than £1.80 per hour, Spain.
Column 278
Restart Interviews
Mr. Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Employment (1) if he will list the numbers leaving restart interviews, as an actual number and as a percentage of total leavers, for each year of its operation stipulating those who went into work, those who went into further employment schemes and those who become unemployed, and, of these, if he will list the type and level of qualification each leaver obtained, including those who failed to obtain any qualification at all; [27509]
(2) if he will list the numbers attending and leaving restart interviews, for each year of their operation. [27519]
Miss Widdecombe: Responsibility for the subject of the questions has been delegated to the Employment Service agency under its chief executive. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given. Letter from M. E. G. Fogden to Mr. Frank Field, dated 21 June 1995:
The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your questions about the number of people attending Restart Interviews for each year of operation and the numbers who went into employment schemes. I have set out the information you have requested in the attached tables. Restart interviews do not lead directly to qualifications, although they do lead to opportunities such as Training for Work which provide qualifications. Nor do they have "leavers" in the way that our programmes do.
It may also be helpful if I explain the scope and purpose of the Restart interviews which are offered at regular six monthly intervals as part of a comprehensive advisory and information service aimed at helping people back into work. These interviews provide clients with the opportunity to discuss with an Employment Service (ES) Client Adviser, the steps they are taking to find work, how to access the employment and training opportunities that are available to them, and the course of action which, if followed, will offer the best prospects of returning to work.
I should emphasise that the figures quoted in the tables represent only the immediate result of Restart interviews. However, the real measure of the effectiveness of these interviews lies in their longer term effects. Many people subsequently take up a job or a place on an employment or training programme as a result of the guidance given to them at their interview. Independent researchers who have studied the Restart Interview programme have concluded that this indirect effect is extremely significant. For example, a study published by the Policy Studies Institute in August 1992, "The Restart Effect", found that the difference made by Restart in influencing the time people took to leave unemployment was about the same as the difference between being qualified or not qualified, fit or in poor health, in a favourable or unfavourable labour market. I hope this is helpful.
1988-89
|As percentage
|of total
|Total |interviews
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Total restart interviews |2,053,580 |-
Job placings |12,367 |0.6
Programmes starts<1> |270,381 |13.1
<1> Jobclub. Enterprise Allowance Scheme.
Employment Training.
Job Training Scheme.
Community Programme.
Voluntary Project Programme.
1989-90
|As percentage
|of total
|Total |interviews
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Total restart interviews |2,032,633 |-
Job placings |18,439 |0.9
Programmes starts<1> |261,347 |12.9
<1> Jobclub. Enterprise Allowance Scheme.
Restart Course.
Employment Training.
1990-91
|As percentage
|of total
|Total |interviews
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Total restart interviews |1,888,378 |-
Job placings |19,066 |1.0
Programmes starts<1> |192,763 |10.2
<1> Jobclub. Enterprise Allowance Scheme.
Restart Course.
Employment Training.
1991-92
|As percentage
|of total
|Total |interviews
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Total restart interviews |2,495,940 |-
Job placings |21,185 |0.8
Programmes starts<1> |343,004 |13.7
<1> Jobclub. Enterprise Allowance Scheme.
Restart Course.
Employment Training.
Job Review Workshop.
Employment Action.
Job Interview Guarantee.
1992-93
|As percentage
|of total
|Total |interviews
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Total restart interviews |2,818,281 |-
Job placings |33,272 |1.2
Programmes starts<1> |397,035 |14.1
<1> Jobclub. Enterprise Allowance Scheme.
Restart Course.
Employment Training.
Job Review Workshop.
Employment Action.
Job Interview Guarantee.
Job Search Seminar.
1993-94
|As percentage
|of total
|Total |interviews
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Total restart interviews |3,324,141 |-
Job placings |35,884 |1.1
Programmes starts<1> |731,840 |22.0
<1> Jobclub. Restart Course.
Training for Work.
Learning for Work.
Jobplan.
Job Review Workshop.
Job Search Seminar.
Community Action.
Job Interview Guarantee.
Business Start-Up.
1994-95
|As percentage
|of total
|Total |interviews
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Total restart interviews |3,758,593 |-
Job placings |49,493 |1.3
Programmes starts<1> |901,832 |24.0
<1> Jobclub. Business Start-Up.
Restart Course.
Training for Work.
Community Action.
Learning For Work.
Job Interview Guarantee.
Work Trial.
Job Search Seminar.
Jobplan.
Job Review Workshop.
Workwise.
Travel-to-work Areas
Sir David Madel: To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the latest position about changes in the boundaries of travel-to-work areas; and if he will make a statement. [28854]
Mr. Portillo [holding answer 15 June 1995]: I do not intend to make changes to the boundaries of travel-to-work areas.
Occupational Disease
Mr. Ian McCartney: To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what assessment he has made of the article on diagnosing and managing occupational disease, a copy of which has been sent to him, with special reference to the employment medical advisory service. [29185]
Mr. Oppenheim: The Health and Safety Executive is conducting a prior options feasibility study of the employment medical advisory service. Such studies consider how best value for money can be obtained from available resources. The results of the EMAS study, on which the article speculates, have yet to be finalised. The HSE gives high priority to occupational health, and EMAS staff continue to be available to provide advice to family practitioners.
Health and Safety Executive
Mr. Ian McCartney: To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on how the Government are ensuring that ILO convention No. 81 (1947) is applied consistently in the Health and Safety Executive's market-testing and contracting-out
programme. [29227]
Mr. Oppenheim: ILO convention No. 81 (1947) concerns the provision of labour inspection in industrial and commercial workplaces. The Government have decided that the Health and Safety Executive's inspection and enforcement functions will not be subjected to market testing or contracting out and therefore the convention is not relevant.
Column 281
Mr. Ian McCartney: To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how much money has been spent to date onundertaking the current review of the Health and Safety Executive's field operations division; and what he expects the final cost will be. [29215]
Mr. Oppenheim: To date, the cost of the Health and Safety Executive's field operations division management arrangements feasibility study is estimated at £30,000 plus the time spent on staff consultation, which cannot readily be measured.
Mr. Ian McCartney: To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the average frequency of visits by Health and Safety Executive inspectors to (a) high-risk premises and (b) low-risk premises. [29221]
Mr. Oppenheim: The Health and Safety Executive does not specifically identify high-risk and low-risk premises, nor does it base its inspection programme on frequency. Although years elapsed since the previous inspection are one consideration in determining inspection priorities, more account is taken of the degree of hazard and risk posed to employees and the public.
Mr. Ian McCartney: To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many premises will be transferred from the Health and Safety Executive's SHIELD computer system to the new FOCUS system. [29213]
Mr. Oppenheim: Approximately 445,000 premises' records were transferred from SHIELD to FOCUS. Each record represented one employer working at or from one fixed workplace. In the transfer process, those were split into separate employer and location records. At the start of FOCUS, there were approximately 343,000 employers registered, identified as working at approximately 420,000 locations.
Mr. Ian McCartney: To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how much it will cost to equip and train field inspectors, and other staff, at the Health and Safety Executive's Cardiff office to use portable computers; and from what budget these costs are to be met. [29217]
Mr. Oppenheim: The hardware and software cost of providing staff in Cardiff with portable computers is £163,000 excluding VAT, met from a central Health and Safety Executive information technology budget. The cost of training those staff to use portable computers is £13,400--there is no VAT on this service--met from a training budget held by the HSE's field operations division.
Mr. Ian McCartney: To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what was the total loss of experience in staffing years to Health and Safety Executive (a) factory inspectors in area offices, (b) agricultural inspectors in area offices, (c) doctors in area offices and (d) nurses in area offices as a result of the recent early retirement scheme. [29208]
Mr. Oppenheim: Total loss of experience in staffing years is shown in the table:
Column 282
Total loss of experience in HSE Area Offices as a result of
Mr. Ian McCartney: To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will place in the Library (a) the Health and Safety Executive's management arrangements feasibility study report and its implementation plan and (b) the Health and Safety Executive's employment medical advisory service feasibility study. [29224]
Mr. Oppenheim: No. The documents represent internal management advice to the Health and Safety Executive and commission and will not be placed in the Library.
Mr. Ian McCartney: To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what exceptions exist to the Health and Safety Executive's policy that all workplaces should be visited by an inspector over a period of time; and what policy changes are planned. [29220]
Mr. Oppenheim: Since 1977 preventive inspections by the Health and Safety Executive's field operations division have been prioritised on the basis of an inspection rating system. The inspection rating system is currently being refined. The refined system will come into use shortly.
Mr. Ian McCartney: To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many premises were registered on the health and Safety Executive's SHIELD computer system in each area office on (a) April 1992, (b) 1 April 1993 and (c) 1 April 1994. [29212]
Mr. Oppenheim: The number of premises registered on SHIELD in each area office on the specified dates is not readily available and can be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Mr. Ian McCartney: To ask the Secretary of State for Employment which industrial or work sectors will not be visited on a preventive inspection basis by a Health and Safety Executive inspector after 1 August. [29216]
Mr. Oppenheim: No industrial or work sectors are excluded from preventive inspection. The Health and Safety Executive's field operations division aims to ensure that contact with duty holders is proportionate to the hazard and risk at any organisation, and focuses its inspection effort on higher-risk premises. Low-hazard, low-risk premises are contacted in the main by other non-inspection techniques, but inspectors retain discretion to inspect where necessary, and investigate accidents and complaints in accordance with HSE policy.
Mr. Ian McCartney: To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what was the percentage reduction in the Health and Safety Executive staffing levels of (a) factory inspectors in area offices, (b) agricultural inspectors in area offices, (c) doctors in area offices, (d) nurses in area offices, and (e) specialist staff in policy divisions as a result of the recent early retirement scheme. [29222]
Column 283
Mr. Oppenheim: The percentage reduction of staffing levels as a result of the recent early retirement scheme is shown in the table:
|Reduction in
|staffing
|levels as percentage
|of staff employed in
Grade |the grade
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(a) Factory inspectors |4.1
(b) Agricultural inspectors |1.9
(c) Doctors |22.2
(d) Nurses |11.5
(e) Specialist staff in policy divisions |6.9
Workplace Accidents
Mr. McFall: To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the statutory obligations on employers to report accidents and injuries involving their employees to his Department; and what plans he has to change these
arrangements. [29074]
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