Gorge jumping is not covered by the current AALA scheme. Photo: Steve Kazakos CC-BY-ND-3.0

Gorge jumping is not covered by the current AALA scheme. Photo: Steve Kazakos CC-BY-ND-3.0

An outdoors consultant has voiced concerns about the forthcoming abolition of the body that oversees adventurous activities in the UK.

The Adventure Activities Licensing Authority will close down next year if the coalition Government accepts the recommendations of a review of health and safety.

AALA was established in April 1996 in response to the public outcry following the deaths three years earlier of four teenagers in a sea kayaking incident.

But Lord Young, a former cabinet minister in the Thatcher Conservative government of the 1980s, said the body should be abolished and replaced with a code of conduct. If his plans are carried out, a consultation on drawing up the code will begin next spring.

Keith Rugg, writing on the Outdoor Industries Association website, urged those in the industry to campaign for the retention of the Adventure Activities Licensing Service, which administers the licences under which, for instance, local authority and private outdoor education centres run.

“Please can we lobby for the AALS to be retained to ensure that such places, whether local authority or company-owned and managed, provide a safe environment in which ‘the great outdoors’ can remain both a learning and challenging growth experience,” he said.

Mr Rugg said: “As an industry, we should be concerned at the intention to close the Adventure Activities Licensing Service, which was brought into being to safeguard all – and especially young people – using external centres and organisations for adventure activities, following the Lyme Bay disaster.

“The opportunities to utilise such places of adventurous learning safely, whether in youth or business groups or individually, are part of the lifestyle-making or challenging ethos upon which our industry depends and hopefully, thrives.”

In response to the posting, John Traynor added: “The AALA is one of those bodies that help to promote best practice in participation in outdoor activities and is a positive element in the encouragement of people, young and old, to enjoy the outdoors.

“It is not an ‘elf and safety kneejerk shut down’ quango.

“Interestingly, the threat to it represents an excellent opportunity for parties in the outdoor industries with complementary interests to act in a concerted way to exert pressure on central government to see sense.”

But Randall Williams adds on the website that a non-statutory scheme already exists, the Advenuturemark, that would serve as a standard under the proposed scheme.

In June this year, Sheriff Johanna Johnston recommended an overhaul of the AALA provisions during her fatal accident inquiry into the death of Laura McDairmant during a gorge-jumping session run by the Abernethy Trust’s Barcaple Outdoor Centre.

Sheriff Johnston said there was confusion sometimes between activity providers, AALA inspectors and other bodies such as local authorities. Another problem was that only four activities: trekking, caving, watersports and climbing were covered by the legislation under which AALA operates.

Lord Young in his report said: “The licensing regime, which is the responsibility of the Health and Safety Executive, is seen as a cost and burden on business that adds little to the health and safety of young people undertaking adventure activities.

“The HSE believes that effective enforcement of the requirements of the 1974 [Health and Safety at Work] Act and the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations is sufficient. The licensing regime is narrowly focused on a limited number of outdoor activities and does not reflect the wide range of adventure activities now available.

“The running costs of the scheme are around £750,000 and the cost of a licence is £715.This seems to me to be a disincentive to new entrants to the adventure activity market, especially to small companies.

“I would recommend that we abolish the licensing of adventurous activities through the Adventure Activities Licensing Authority and instead introduce a code of practice that the HSE will oversee and monitor.

“The HSE should also ensure that those planning trips can feel confident that a provider is compliant with the code. Since this is a devolved issue, I will work with the devolved administrations on taking forward this initiative in Scotland and Wales.

“There are no additional costs associated with the repeal of relevant legislation. Removal of licensing would allow businesses to make financial savings and focus on management of the whole range of available activities. In addition, there would be savings associated with the dismantling of the licensing regime.”

A statement by AALA said: “The AALA recognises that this recommendation will cause uncertainty in the adventure activities sector.

“This recommendation will take some time to implement and, in the meantime, the existing licensing regime remains in place and providers should continue to apply for or renew their licenses as appropriate for the time being.

“The Adventure Activities Licensing Service inspection and licensing activities will continue as normal for now.

“The AALA will be contacting sector stakeholders shortly to discuss the development of the code of practice. The AALA will be consulting on the arrangements for the transition to the new arrangements.”

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