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Mr. Clapham
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many prosecutions resulting from a failure to comply with Health and Safety legislation were made in (a) 1993–94, (b) 1994–95, (c) 1995–96 and (d) 1996–97; and what was the average level of the fines imposed. [30961]
Mr. Meacher
The number of health and safety prosecutions (offences prosecuted) by the Health and Safety Executive and local authorities, and the average levels of fine imposed, in the years 1993–94 to 1996–97 were as follows:
| Health and Safety Executive prosecutions | Total offences prosecuted1 | Of which, offences leading to conviction | Total fines imposed £ | Average fine per conviction £2 |
| 1993–94 | 1,793 | 1,507 | 4,675,716 | 3,103 |
| 1994–95 | 1,803 | 1,499 | 4,307,170 | 2,873 |
| 1995–96 | 1,767 | 1,451 | 3,731,368 | 2,572 |
| 1996–974 | 1,256 | 1,052 | 5,703,322 | 5,421 |
| Local authority prosecutions3 | Total offences prosecuted1 | Of which, offences leading to conviction | Total fines imposed £ | Average fine per conviction £2 |
| 1993–94 | 601.00 | 515.00 | 587,129 | 1,140 |
| 1994–95 | 494.00 | 413.00 | 572,495 | 1,386 |
| 1995–96 | 475.00 | 384.00 | 676,790 | 1,762 |
| 1996–974 | 356.00 | 315.00 | 458,077 | 1,454 |
| 1 Each offence prosecuted represents one information laid or, in Scotland, charge preferred. Informations laid or charges preferred are the first step in prosecution. They are a statement of the offence that is alleged to have been committed—each information or charge relates to a single offence. | ||||
| 2 Figures for average penalty are in current price terms and not adjusted for inflation. | ||||
| 3 Figures are drawn from returns which have been supplied by more than 90 per cent. of local authorities in Great Britain. | ||||
| 4Provisional. | ||||