Schools and other organisations that use activity providers have been invited by the Health and Safety Executive to express their views on the future of the Adventure Activities Licensing Authority (AALA), which currently regulates adventure activities across the UK.

The HSE has been the designated licensing authority since the AALA was set up in April 1996, after 4 teenagers were drowned while sea-kayaking in the Lyme Bay area off the SW coast of England.

Currently sponsored by the Dept for Works and Pensions, the AALA is being transferred to the Dept for Culture, Media and Sport and reformed to give government and Sport England a clearer policy role in encouraging outdoor activities.

The Scottish and Welsh governments have both decided to retain a statutory regime for adventure activities.

In addition to linking to an online survey, ‘Health and Safety Executive (HSE) review of the Adventure Activities Licensing Authority (AALA)’ provides further information about the background of the AALA and the on-going project to reform it.

10/2/2017