| 191. |
HSC statistics show that the number of inspectors
holding and using HSE powers fell by 26.3%
from 1,440 in 1997/98 to 1,060 in 2001/02.
The rate of local authority inspections
declined by 11% between 2002/03 and 2001/02.
The rate of visiting has declined steadily
since the 1990s and 23 visits per 100 premises
were carried out in 2001/02. Both the Convention
of Scottish Local Authorities (CoSLA) and
the Local Government Association (LGA) argued
that resources for health and safety enforcement
are squeezed by competing priorities, and
in particular, food safety. There were also
concerns that local authorities were subject
to competing and sometimes conflicting demands
from central government. CoSLA also argued
for an examination, at both Scottish Executive
and Westminster level of the relative priorities
in public health terms of all the functions
that local authorities undertake. In the
absence of this, resource allocation tended
to depend on which agency shouts loudest.
A further concern was that local authorities
had difficulty recruiting and retaining
suitably qualified staff. |
