Health and Safety

My right honourable friend the Minister of State, Department for Work and Pensions (Chris Grayling) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement. On 21 March 2011 the Government announced the launch of an immediate review of health and safety regulation overseen by an independent advisory panel chaired by Professor Ragnar Löfstedt, director of the King's Centre for Risk Management at King's College, London. The Government are pleased to announce the publication today of Professor Löfstedt’s report Reclaiming Health and Safety For All: An Independent Review of Health and Safety Legislation. The professor’s report is based on a thorough examination of the available evidence, including analysis of existing research, a call for evidence which attracted 250 responses, and meetings with key stakeholders. Professor Löfstedt also considered comments submitted to the Red Tape Challenge website during the health and safety spotlight period over the summer. Good health and safety are vital to good business. Sensible and proportionate health and safety regulation can support economic growth by maintaining a healthy and productive workforce. However, to be effective, and to provide genuine protection for workers and the public, regulation needs to be easy to understand, administer and enforce. The Government are committed to simplifying health and safety legislation to ease the burden on business and encourage growth. Professor Löfstedt’s report sets out a number of risk- and evidence-based recommendations to reduce the requirements placed on businesses where they do not lead to improved health and safety outcomes. The Government support the recommendations and are publishing alongside the report their plans for implementation. A copy of the document will be available in the Vote Office later today. Further details are available on the Department for Work and Pensions website at http://www.dwp.gov.uk/policy/health-and-safety/#review.