Safety spend cuts 'could kill workers'

SPENDING cuts could lead to an increase in deaths from workplace accidents, a city MP warned today as he marked International Workers' Memorial Day.

Edinburgh South Labour MP Ian Murray said cuts to the Health and Safety Executive and to local authorities were seriously limiting their ability to carry out inspections.

He said: "The minister for health and safety has said he wants to see a substantial cut in the number of inspections and has announced yet another review of health and safety law.

"The government continues to argue that health and safety is an unnecessary burden on business, but the reality is that at least 20,000 people die prematurely every year because of occupational injury or disease and 2.2 million people suffer from work-related ill-health.

"If this government continues to cut money for health and safety, people will die as a result."

Mr Murray was joining Edinburgh Trades Council and shopworkers' union USDAW at a ceremony at the Memorial Tree in West Princes Street Gardens at lunchtime today to mark the day.