Responsibility for Health and Safety moves to Department for Work and Pensions

HSE Press Release C035.02 - 29 July 2002

The Prime Minister has announced that responsibility for the Health and Safety Commission (HSC) and Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has transferred to the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).

Andrew Smith, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, said:

"Preventing people from being injured or made ill at work is a vital task; enabling people to continue at work or to return to work after injury is a key part of the Department's own objectives. I know there are many examples of good co-operation between DWP and HSE and I hope the move of HSE will help this develop further."

Bill Callaghan, Chair of HSC, welcomed the announcement:

"This is good news. We share many of the same objectives and I look forward to working closely with the Department."

Timothy Walker, Director General of HSE, said:

"There are many areas where HSE and DWP can work together, particularly in the areas of preventing disability and promoting rehabilitation. There is clearly scope for building further on the existing co-operation, and we will now develop those relationships with our new colleagues."

Notes to editors

1. In answer to a question from Tony Lloyd, MP (Manchester Central), the Prime Minister said:

"Following the establishment of the Department for Transport as a department focussed solely on transport issues, I have decided that the Health and Safety Commission and the Health and Safety Executive will transfer to the Department for Work and Pensions. The Health and Safety Sponsorship Division, currently located within the Department for Transport, will also transfer to the Department for Work and Pensions. These changes will take effect from today 24 July 2002."

2. Departmental responsibility for HSE previously lay with the Department of Transport, Local Government and the Regions. In tandem with the recent machinery of government changes, the Prime Minister announced that:

"There will be a review of the appropriate institutional structure and departmental responsibilities for transport safety and other health and safety at work issues. In the mean time these will remain with the new Department for Transport."

3. The mission of HSE is to ensure that risks to people's health and safety from work activities are properly controlled. The HSC's functions are to secure the health, safety and welfare of persons at work; to protect the public generally against risks to health or safety arising out of work activities and to control the keeping and use of explosives, highly flammable and other dangerous substances; to conduct and sponsor research; promote training and provide an information and advisory service; to review the adequacy of health and safety legislation and submits to Government proposals for new or revised regulations and approved codes of practice. The Commission has general oversight of the work of the HSE and has power to delegate to the Executive any of its functions. The Commission is also responsible under the Gas Act for gas safety. The Commission also advises Ministers on the clearance for use of pesticides.

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