Dr Paul Stollard is HSE Director, Scotland and Northern England
The Health and Safety Executive is a non-departmental public body sponsored by the UK Department for Work and Pensions.
Health and safety legislation is reserved to the UK Parliament. Our Minister is The Right Honourable Chris Grayling, Parliamentary Under Secretary in the Department of Work and Pensions.
HSE has approximately 270 staff in Scotland based in offices in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen and Inverness. Approximately 170 are frontline inspectors, which include about 80 general and construction inspectors, as well as chemicals industry and offshore inspectors and specialists who work across the border too. Policy and administrative staff are also based in Scotland working in HSE's sectors, corporate support and Director's Office (for example, dealing with Scottish Government liaison, partnership management and official correspondence).
Health and safety law is the same across Great Britain but there is a major difference in how crime is prosecuted in Scotland. HSE inspectors report matters they have investigated and make recommendations on offences to the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS), who decide whether or not to institute criminal proceedings in the public interest. In 2009 the Lord Advocate has established a specialist Health and Safety Division within the COPFS.
Hugh Robertson, HSE Board member with responsibility for Scottish issues and Chair of PHASS
HSE works directly with Scottish stakeholders many of whom are independent or semi-independent of their English and Welsh equivalents and in some cases unique to Scotland. This supports HSE's strategy of working with and through others and is particularly effective a country where networks are strong and many of us know each other personally.
The Partnership on Health and Safety in Scotland (PHASS) was formed in 2005 to capitalise on the close network of links in Scotland and in response to requests for a specifically Scottish forum on health and safety. From September 2010 PHASS will be chaired by HSE Board member, Hugh Robertson. The HSE Board has agreed that PHASS will hold events open to members of the public in different parts of Scotland; each PHASS event will be themed for a different target audience, primarily of local duty-holders - showcasing PHASS member-organisations’ roles, the support they offer, and inviting wider collaboration to improve health and safety performance; and PHASS members will be encouraged to present advice and contribute to all events.
Reserved matters, like preventing work-related accidents and ill health, and devolved matters, like employers' promoting healthy lifestyles, are closely linked; the Scottish Government therefore has the power and resources to act in many areas of HSE interest; and equally: HSE's activities impact on the Scottish Government's aims. The Scottish Government is also a major health and safety duty-holder itself, and funder of Scottish public and health services which altogether employ 1 in 4 of the working population in Scotland.
The Scottish Government has responsibility for almost all areas of private sector employment, including industry, agriculture, and construction. Most public sector bodies are also devolved (NHS, local authorities and blue light services). Work with relevant Scottish Government ministers, officials and agencies is important to HSE in developing strong stakeholder relationships and in encouraging a positive leadership role on health and safety.
HSE in Scotland responds to MSPs (and Scottish MPs) who write to us on constituency matters. Regular assistance is provided in response to requests from Scottish Government officials on Scottish Ministerial cases and Scottish Parliamentary Questions.
Michael Matheson MSP, Minister for Public Health is HSE's Ministerial contact in the Scottish Government.
