Source · Select Committees · Work and Pensions Committee
Recommendation 17
17
Paragraph: 94
HSE has experienced significant cuts in government funding.
Conclusion
HSE has experienced significant cuts in government funding. Lower grant funding has been partly mitigated by the introduction of its fee for intervention ‘cost recovery’ model but this cannot be used to target inspections of licensed asbestos removal work. It is not surprising, therefore, that HSE’s asbestos enforcement activity has reduced in recent years. However, the scale of decline is remarkable when compared with HSE’s enforcement activity overall, despite no specific and compelling evidence that compliance with the asbestos regulations has improved dramatically during this time. HSE accepts that part of the recent reduction in asbestos enforcement work stems from having to divert experienced inspectors to support the training of new recruits which reduced capacity. It says that it expects to increase the number of asbestos inspections in 2022/23. This is welcome but needs to be sustained over the longer term, not least because fulfilment of the Government’s net zero ambitions presents considerable asbestos exposure risks as buildings are updated.
Paragraph Reference:
94
Government Response
Acknowledged
HM Government
Acknowledged
DWP approves HSE’s business plan which includes details of how HSE’s activities are funded. The plan sets out how HSE will deliver a range of different regulatory interventions and activities based on intelligence, targeting the most serious risks. This includes industries with greatest hazards and sectors with the worst risk management record. HSE budgets are not specifically allocated to individual risks such as asbestos exposure, because inspections and investigations focus on multiple potential risks. However, HSE’s commitment to focus on the risks related to managing asbestos exposure is a long-standing feature of its Business Plan. For example, in 2021/2022 HSE has published its commitment to undertake a programme of inspections of individual licensed contractors to ensure compliance with Control of Asbestos Regulations by individual licensees