Following the transfer of part of the Department for Trade and Industry (DTI) Engineering Inspectorate, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is to become the sole regulator for all safety issues associated with electricity transmission and distribution.
In 2004, the Chancellor asked Philip Hampton, Chairman of J Sainsbury plc, to lead a review into regulatory inspection and enforcement. The aim was to reduce the administrative cost of regulation to the minimum consistent with maintaining the UK's excellent regulatory outcomes. Hampton's report, 'Reducing administrative burdens: Effective inspection and enforcement', published in March 2005, included recommendations for the HSE's role to expand to take in a number of other regulatory bodies, including the Engineering Inspectorate (EI).
The report can be viewed at : http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/hampton
The HSE and DTI have agreed that this recommendation is best achieved by HSE taking on the Engineering Inspectorate's public safety role with respect to the electricity transmission and distribution industry.
Initially the transfer will be achieved through an agency agreement with permanent transfer following a Regulatory Reform Order under the Legislative and Regulatory Reform Bill, which is expected to be enacted later this year.
Lord Hunt of Kings Heath, minister for health and safety commented:
"The transfer shows the continuing commitment to the principles of better regulation set out in last years Hampton report, it ensures that safety remains paramount whilst simplifying matters for industry by ensuring that there will now be only one safety regulator to report incidents or injuries to."
