To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many individuals received a consolatory payment from the Health and Safety Commission and Executive in each year since 1997; what the average value of payment was in each year; and how much was paid in total in consolatory payments in each year. (186113)

The reply is provided in the following tables. The Health and Safety Commission made no payments containing a consolatory element. The figures for the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) exclude all forms of compensatory payment that were made in the normal course of litigation. The figures up to and including 2006-07 relate to compensation/ex-gratia payments to individuals which may have included an element for consolatory payment but which was not recorded separately. The figure for 2007-08 relates to consolatory payments only and reflects the latest position at 20 February 2008.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions in what circumstances a consolatory payment would be made by the Health and Safety Commission and Executive; and what guidance is provided by his Department on the payment of a conciliatory payment to a customer of the Health and Safety Commission and Executive; and if he will place a copy of that guidance in the Library. (186114)

A consolatory payment is made by the Health and Safety Commission/Executive (HSC/E) where, in very exceptional circumstances, maladministration has had an adverse effect on a person’s life, irrespective of whether a measurable financial loss has occurred. The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) provides guidance on conciliatory (special) payments in its Departmental Losses Framework document which HSC/E follows in relation to all those with whom it has dealings. Additionally, HSC/E’s Framework Management Statement and its Financial Memorandum, together, set out the broad policy, governance/risk-management arrangements and financial framework within which HSC/E and its sponsoring Department, DWP, operate, including delegated financial authorities for such conciliatory payments.

For accounting purposes, HSC/E reports all categories of compensation payments to DWP. A summary is shown in the losses and special payments note to HSC/E’s resource accounts.

The HSC/E Framework Management Statement etc. can already be accessed in the Library. A copy of DWP’s Departmental Losses Framework document will be available in due course.