Manufacturers face £291,254 bill under HSE's FFI scheme

Over 500 manufacturers have fallen foul of the scheme our Freedom of Information request found. However, the regulator declined WM's request to name the businesses involved and the nature of their safety breaches. An HSE statement said: "These invoices can still be subject to query and appeal by the company; therefore we cannot consider what may be released till this period has elapsed." Overall, 55 appeals had been made against FFI levies, HSE confirmed. Fourteen of these had been upheld by HSE and the invoice cancelled, HSE said. Around 70% of FFI charges so far were for sums of £700 or under, the regulator confirmed. FFI was a legitimate means for HSE to recover regulatory costs where businesses were found to be in clear breach of the law said Gordon MacDonald, HSE programme director for the schene. He said: "If you comply with the law, you don't face any costs," FFI was introduced following HSE budget cuts of 35% announced in the 2010 comprehensive spending review. See WM's April issue for more on the FFI figures.