Lord Young Publishes Report on Health and Safety Law

Lord Young's keenly anticipated Report Common Sense, Common Safety was published on 15 October 2010 to enthusiastic endorsement by the Government, Health & Safety Executive (HSE) and insurers.

The Report addresses aspects of the current regime that the Government perceives to be disproportionately burdensome on small or low-risk businesses and public bodies. The Prime Minister, in his foreword to the Report, states that businesses are "drowned in rep tape, confusion and the fear of being sued for even minor accident". It is against that background that Lord Young's review has been conducted. The report also addresses the rise of the Britain's 'compensation culture'.

Lord Young makes recommendations in relation to the following key areas:

Court procedure and the regulation of lawyers and claims companies; The regulatory burden on small or low-risk businesses; The accessibility of Health & Safety legislation; and The application of health and safety law to schools, public bodies and the emergency services. Curbing the Compensation Culture

Lord Young reports that Britain's compensation culture is fuelled by...