HSE to Receive Further Funding Over Next Three Years

[POSTMAN]

To: All Branches

Dear Colleagues,

HSE to Receive Further Funding Over Next Three Years

Branches will recall that the Department for Work and Pensions was proposing that the HSE should receive a 5% real terms cut in its budget each year from 2008-9 to 2010-11, coming on top of considerable staffing reductions in recent years. Since 1997, the UK workforce has increased by around 9%. In addition the number of premises that the HSE inspect has gone up by well over 20%. Yet the HSE's workforce has shrunk from over 4,000 to its current number of less than 3,500. Further cuts of 5% a year in real terms for the next 3 years would have meant that the HSE would have to make further reductions in either accident or ill-health investigations or the proactive work that helps to maintain them at their current levels.

The TUC, CWU and other Unions expressed concerns that if the proposed cuts went ahead it could have a major effect on the service that the HSE provides and we argued strongly that we would see more injuries, more illness, and more being spent on medical treatment, sick pay, benefits and compensation. The Unions further argued that the HSE could not simply absorb the cuts through slashing 'back room services' as the HSE has already made huge cuts in recent years and there is simply not the room for further reductions.

The previous cuts have already affected the service that the HSE gives. In the past 4 years the number of inspections fell by 25% while the number of prosecutions fell by 49%. It is hardly surprising that last year saw the highest number of workplace fatalities in 5 years.

Health and Safety Minister, Lord McKenzie of Luton, has this month announced a revised funding settlement in which the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) will now receive £724 million over the next three years 2008/9 to 2010/11. This in effect means that instead of the originally proposed 5% cuts, there will be a small increase in spending. Lord McKenzie said that the settlement was "a very good outcome" and reflected the importance the government placed on health and safety at work.

Lord McKenzie has also confirmed that the merger of the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and Health and Safety Commission (HSC) is expected to be complete in the next few weeks, on 1st April with a formal launch in October. The Health and Safety Commissioners will become the Executive Board of the HSE. Judith Hackitt CBE - Chair of the Health and Safety Commission will become Chair of the HSE Board. Judith Hackitt and Lord McKenzie have agreed that one of the first tasks for the new body will be to carry out a fundamental review for the new dynamic workplace health and safety strategy.

Yours Sincerely

Dave Joyce

National Health, Safety & Environment Officer