PARLIAMENTARY EARLY DAY MOTION
HEALTH AND SAFETY ENFORCEMENT AND FUNDING OF THE HEALTH AND SAFETY EXECUTIVE (1 March 2011)

That this House congratulates the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) on its essential work in the public interest to enforce the law and to reduce work-related death, illness and serious injury; notes that the HSE's resource has decreased year on year for the last 10 years and that this year the Government announced a cut to the HSE's funding of 35 per cent. over the next four years; further notes that additional cuts would render the HSE unable to enforce health and safety law and regulate workplace safety effectively; opposes the closure of the Preston and Manchester offices; is concerned that cuts are being introduced at a time when, according to HSE figures, between April 2009 and March 2010 152 people were fatally injured at work, there were 26,061 major injuries such as amputation and burns to employees and 1.3 million people were suffering from an illness believed to have been caused or made worse by their current or past work; and urges the Government to drop the rushed and ill-conceived proposals in the Young Report and to maintain the remit, funding and staff at the HSE so as to avoid the trauma, heartache and loss suffered by workers and their families every year as a result of workplace accidents and unhealthy working conditions that could be avoided.

Sponsored by:
John McDonnell (Labour)