Health and safety: key differences in Scotland and Northern Ireland

Updating author: Howard Fidderman

Consultant editor (Scotland): Gillian MacLellan, consultant editor (Northern Ireland): Gareth Walls

Future developments

Scotland: There are no future developments specific to Scotland.

Northern Ireland: There are no future developments specific to Northern Ireland. The Employment Rights Bill, which was introduced to the UK Parliament on 10 October 2024, does not extend to Northern Ireland.

Scotland

The same statutory provisions regulate health and safety throughout Great Britain (England, Wales and Scotland) including their offshore islands, but not the Isle of Man, the Channel Islands or Northern Ireland), so the same regulatory regime applies in England, Wales and Scotland). However, in Scotland, the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service prosecutes breaches of health and safety law (as opposed to the Health and Safety Executive and local authorities in England and Wales).