Hughes takes HSE workers' plea to Parliament

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Thu 2nd Apr 2009

In the House of Commons this week, Simon Hughes presented a petition asking parliament to urge the Work and Pensions Secretary, James Purnell, to reconsider the closure of the Health and Safety Executives London Headquarters.

Last year the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) announced the closure of the headquarters in Southwark, as part of an efficiency drive. All the operations currently carried out by the London HQ will be moved to an expanded single HQ in Merseyside, resulting in the relocation of 320 jobs.

Many HSE employees have raised concerns that the organisation has not fully considered the consequences of the move. The argument for the move was made on the basis that 40% of the employees would be happy moving to Merseyside. However faced with the disruption to their lives inevitably caused by uprooting their families and moving to another region, only a small fraction of the workforce have expressed a willingness to move. The loss of around 300 staff will not only mean many redundancies in difficult economic circumstances, but will also see the HSE lose a wealth of expertise and competence.

The Public and Commercial Services Union compiled a petition supported by 1,903 signatures to highlight the dire implications of the move for HSE and its employees. On Wednesday, Simon Hughes used this petition to request that parliament urges the government to reconsider the move in light of these consequences.

Commenting, Simon Hughes said:

"It has been a privilege for Southwark to have the headquarters of the Health and Safety Executive within our boundaries. The HSE does a very important and lifesaving job. There is often a good case for dispersing public service employment out of London and around the UK. But I share the real concerns of the HSE London workforce that the dispersal plans could result in a harmful loss of the experienced and qualified staff that the HSE needs.

I've had a very helpful meeting with HSE staff at their headquarters in Rose Court on Southwark Bridge Road, and went with their representatives to put our case to the junior DWP minister, Lord Mackenzie.

This petition to parliament is now the strongest public call the staff and I can make to ask the Secretary of State to review the plans. The UK needs an effective Health and Safety Executive in the future. We must not put the health and safety of workers and residents in Britain at risk."