To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many injuries were reported to enforcing authorities by industry in the North West in each year since 1997, broken down by region and local authority. (109715)

I have placed tables in the Library providing the number of injuries reported to enforcing authorities in the North West Government office region for the 10 years from 1996-97 to 2005-06 by local authority.

I am pleased to report that the North West’s total combined number of fatal and major injuries, and combined rate of fatal and major injuries have both shown a decline in the last year. The North West’s rate for all reported injuries has declined in each of the last two years and since 2001-02 overall.

I am concerned that both the rate of fatal and major injury and the rate of all reported injuries are higher in the North West than in Great Britain as a whole. However, this is strongly influenced by the composition of employment including the mix of industries and occupations in different regions.

The Health and Safety Commission’s risk-based strategy to improve Great Britain’s health and safety performance aims to concentrate on the highest areas of incidence and the poorest performers.