Review to curb health and safety excesses

London: Councils that wrongly ban events and activities on health and safety grounds could be forced to pay compensation under plans being considered by the government.

The proposal is among plans to curb the excesses of the health and safety culture. They have been drawn up by the Conservative peer and former minister Lord David Young at David Cameron's request.

The measures would also crack down on advertising encouraging people to make personal injury claims on a no-win, no-fee basis.

Emergency workers and teachers should also be freed from rules that require someone to be held accountable for everyday mishaps and accidents, while red tape that can prevent children from going on school outings should be scrapped.

Young, who is due to outline his proposals at the Conservative conference in Birmingham, said he had uncovered some extraordinary examples of excessive health and safety measures.

These included a restaurant that would not give out toothpicks for fear of injury, a headteacher who told pupils not to walk under a conker tree without helmets and a council that banned a pancake race because it was raining.

"It has gone to such extremes. What I have seen everywhere is a complete lack of common sense. People have been living in an alternative universe," he told the Daily Mail.

Fake powers

Young said he was particularly concerned about council officials who often claimed powers to stop village fetes, sporting or other events when they have none.

In one example, organisers of the annual Whitsun cheese-rolling in the Cotswolds hills cancelled it this year after pressure from police and local authorities.

In future those affected by wrong decisions may go to the local government ombudsman who will be able to insist that a council pays compensation.