To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the legal responsibility of company directors for health and safety. (139747)

At the Government’s request, in 2005 the Health and Safety Commission (HSC) undertook an evaluation of the effectiveness of the current arrangements on director leadership for health and safety. Following its evaluation, the HSC chair advised Ministers on how best to strengthen these arrangements. In particular, revised guidance for inspectors has been produced that clearly sets out when it is possible to prosecute a director; and new guidance on director leadership is being developed, under the oversight of a stakeholder steering group led by the Institute of Directors.