The number of construction inspections has declined by 13% in three years, according to union UCATT.

A total of 9,219 unannounced inspections were carried out by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) in 2015/16.

However, 9,656 were carried out in 2014/15, and 10,577 in 2012/13.

The organisation said the number of inspections has been declining in recent years at a time when the industry has been "generally expanding and booming" in parts of the UK.

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Brian Rye, Acting General Secretary of UCATT, said: "These statistics are far from meaningless. They paint a serious picture of how a resource starved HSE is increasingly unable to do its job.

"Inspections save lives and prevent accidents. The reduction in inspections is endangering the lives, health and wellbeing of construction workers. This is a political decision by the Government which have decided that it is financially justified to play fast and loose with the safety of construction workers."

(LM/MH)