Health and Safety Executive (Triennial Review)

Thursday 26th June 2014 Written Statements

[The Minister of State, Department for Work and Pensions (Mike Penning)]

On 9 January 2014, I made a written statement to Parliament—Official Report, column 19WS—announcing the publication of the independent report of Martin Temple on the triennial review of the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). I am pleased to announce that later today the Government response to the triennial review of HSE will be published.

HSE is an Executive non-departmental public body (NDPB). It is the national, independent regulator for work-related safety and health. Its mission is the prevention of death, injury and ill-health to those at work and those affected by work activities.

I am very grateful to Mr Temple for producing such a thorough independent report, which has been widely welcomed. I support the majority of his recommendations. Today’s Government response explains the actions we will take on all the recommendations and updates on progress made so far in implementing them, where appropriate.

In some areas, as set out in the Government response, I want to go further to reform HSE to ensure that it delivers value for money to the taxpayer, while ensuring safety for the nation. Good health and safety is vital to good business in a growing UK economy. There is international interest in learning from and adopting Britain’s health and safety regulatory system. Realising HSE’s potential as a world leader in providing health and safety advice will create a new income stream for Government as well as benefiting UK businesses who already work within this regulatory framework.

I will place a copy of the Government response to the triennial review of HSE in the House Library later today.