Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking to increase the number of inspections carried out by the Health and Safety Executive.

Health and Safety Executive (HSE) does not measure its impact by counting the number of inspections. HSE uses a variety of methods to influence change and help people manage risks at work including providing advice, information and guidance, working with stakeholders, carrying out investigations and taking enforcement action to prevent harm and hold those who break the law to account

HSE’s published business plan for 2023/2024 outlines the targeted interventions it plans to deliver in areas of greatest risk to assess dutyholder compliance with the law, this can be found here. In carrying out this work HSE is planning to deliver a minimum of 14,000 inspections.