HSE Funding - Impact of Government Cuts Announcement:

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LTB 933/10 - HSE Funding - Impact of Government Cuts Announcement:

No. 933/10
Ref EX5/10
Date: 25 October 2010


To: All Branches


Dear Colleagues

HSE Funding - Impact of Government Cuts Announcement:

Last week's Comprehensive Spending Review from the Tory/Lib.Dem Coalition Government has seen the HSE's budget take a massive cut of 35%.

This comes on top of the fact that the previous Labour Government increased the HSE Budget following the 1997 election victory only then to reduce the budget in real terms from 2002 onwards, with below inflation 'flat cash' settlements. The 2004 Spending Review settlement meant that cuts were made to stay within budget. This lead to 250 posts lost by 2008 via natural wastage. By 2008 the HSE had lost have around 17% of the staff it had in 2002 when comparing like with like. On top of that the pressure worsened with HSE's parent department, the DWP, passing on 5% year on year cut to HSE as a result it overall Spending Reviews.

Those historic cuts however pale into insignificance when compared with last week's announcement which will have a significant and negative effect on health and safety via cuts to HSE and Local Authority enforcement. The DWP stated that the Government contribution to the HSE is to be cut by 35% over the next four years. This savage cut comes at a time when there is a strong business case for increasing resources for the HSE substantially. There are more traffic wardens in London than there are inspectors in the whole of HSE's UK Field Operations Directorate. As the small band of inspectors are increasingly stretched, the total number of HSE Workplace Inspections carried out in FOD has fallen by over 69% and Health and Safety Prosecutions have fallen by 48% in the last 10 years.

On top of that local authority funding is to be cut by 28%, with local government given more ability to decide how to allocate resources within their operations and a removal of much of the existing "ring fencing" which protects and ensures that certain services are delivered. This will leave Health and Safety enforcement vulnerable as an easy target for even bigger cuts as Councils move money around and decide priorities. It also enables the Government the ability to blame Councils for poor Health and Safety enforcement instead of themselves when things go wrong.

Overall the result is likely to mean a massive cut in Health and Safety enforcement activity for all workplaces, across all industry sectors except major hazards where HSE charges for its service. It will also mean a major fall in other activities such as HSE campaigning work, research, guidance, publications and the HSE website. This is a massive threat to the safety and the health of workers as these cuts will reduce the already poor state of policing of workplace safety which kills, injures, and makes workers ill at a rate never reported in the tabloid press.

The DWP statement said that "the Government remains committed to a health and safety regime that is fair, balanced and proportionate. Sensible health and safety at work helps to maintain a healthy and productive workforce and contributes to economic prosperity. In the current economic climate, it is appropriate that HSE should be asked to reduce its costs in the same way as the rest of the public sector. In seeking to achieve savings of at least 35% over the SR10 period, we will share more of the cost with those businesses who create risks, while reducing burdens on low-risk businesses. We will consider the recommendations of Lord Young's review and design a streamlined health and safety system that is fit for the 21st century while remaining true to the core principles set out by Lord Robens in 1972."

The words in that statement ring hollow it must be said. When you consider that a lack of resources at the HSE have led to HSE Inspections of workplaces falling by 69% over the last 10 years, only a third of safety offences investigated, Health and Safety Prosecution falling by 48 per cent in the same period and only two thirds of all amputations, a quarter of all major burns and two thirds of all major poisonings and gassings being investigated by the HSE.

Surveys consistently show that HSE is one of the most highly regarded public bodies amongst members of the public, employees and employers. HSE is internationally respected for its expertise on health and safety and has provided a model for many other countries. It produces authoritative advice and guidance, quality research, and a first class forensic capability when things go wrong such as Buncefield. They have experts in engineering, nuclear safety, occupational health and so on. But many specialist skills are facing severe shortages and cuts, as HSE is now facing job cuts and being unable to recruit and can no longer afford to maintain its expertise.

Using very conservative estimates, ten times as many people are killed and injured at work or by their work than through acts of murder and assault. HSE has a massive job to do to get people to take workplace injury seriously, let alone ill-health. Yet it receives about as much public funding nationally as Avon and Somerset Police Authority, just one of the UK's 43 Police Authorities.

What is certain is this - Lives will continue to be lost through injuries and ill health inflicted on employees due to unpunished criminal acts. Poor health and safety is costing the economy billions of pounds (between £20-30bn), so investing just small amounts in regulation would have a huge payback to the economy as well as being morally justified. Clearly this terrible Conservative/Lib.Dem Government either don't understand that or just don't care about it. Those workers and Union members who voted for this Government will now begin to realise just what they've helped to achieve! No-one voted for the slashing of the most basic right to go to work safely and healthily and to come home alive and undamaged to your family at the end of the day. The cutting of health and safety is based on lies and mythical stories set up by David Cameron and Lord Young based on tabloid headlines, not on facts, evidence or reality.

These massive cuts also expose fundamental dishonesty in the recently published "Young Report" and government's claims that health and safety enforcement in so-called 'hazardous' workplaces is 'safe in their hands'. Our Union and others must fight for our health and safety at work, get active and lobby MPs NOW! Use the information and guidance issued in LTBs

Yours sincerely

Dave Joyce
National Health, Safety & Environment Officer