HSE hits back over £6m shopping bill allegations

The HSE has hit back after an article published in the Telegraph alleged that the watchdog had run up credit card bills of more than £6 million over two years and “lavished hundreds of thousands of pounds of taxpayers’ money on flights and luxury hotels”.

Telegraph journalists scrutinised HSE credit card bills from between 2008 and 2010, after they were deposited in the House of Commons Library. The report said that officials from the HSE used their cards to buy fireworks, sun bed equipment, beauty products and tattoo ink and questioned why the watchdog was unable to explain why two payments of £50 had been made to an online shop which sells designer leather handbags.

The Telegraph listed expenses such as £18,000 on away-days at sporting venues and a golf and spa resort, and £23,000 spent at high street and online stores including John Lewis, Marks & Spencer, Clarks, Boots, Apple and Amazon.However, Geoffrey Podger, chief executive of the HSE, said the report was “sensationalist and misleading”.

He commented: “All of the expenditure, details of which HSE provided to the Telegraph, was properly incurred with no individual staff gain involved. 

“The reason why HSE buys items such as fireworks, tattoo ink and a sunbed is because it undertakes research into the health and safety risks associated with their use.  Similarly, we have puts a lot of effort into meeting and listening to representatives of the industries we regulate and sometimes we need to hire external venues when our own facilities are not suitable. 

“HSE did indeed purchase two rucksacks from an online shop – for carrying laptops and documents – but they scarcely qualify as designer handbags.

“All of these transactions form part of HSE’s accounts, which are independently audited and scrutinised every year by the National Audit Office."

The HSE has also published its responses to each of the specific queries raised by The Telegraph.