Consultations on reducing regulatory burden

One of the Government’s main initiatives at the moment is to reduce regulatory burden on businesses so that they are better able to grow and contribute to the UK’s economic recovery.

So far the Government has held an on-line consultation on tourism-related regulation (the Red Tape Challenge) and established a Tourism Regulation Taskforce under the chairmanship of former Whitbread CEO, Alan Parker, which is tasked with producing a report for the Minister by the end of the year on specific regulations that can either be repealed or amended to help support tourism businesses.

In addition to these initiatives to reduce regulatory burden, two further consultations have been launched recently. The first of these is a consultation by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) regarding the enforcement of regulations.

The Government has noted that much of the problem of regulatory burden is not related to the regulations themselves, but how the bodies responsible for administering and enforcing the regulations (especially at the local level) undertake their function. The Government has noted that much of the problem of regulatory burden is not related to the regulations themselves, but how the bodies responsible for administering and enforcing the regulations (especially at the local level) undertake their function.

A complex, heavy-handed or confrontational approach to the administration and enforcement of the regulations can cause significant problems for small businesses whereas a more transparent partnership-type approach can often help businesses grow. This consultation therefore asks for submissions on how the partnership approach between businesses and regulators can be developed. Submissions are due by 15th September 2011 on the BIS website.

The second consultation is an independent review of Health and Safety legislation being undertaken by Professor Ragnar Löfstedt, Director of the King’s Centre for Risk Management at King’s College, London for the Department for Work and Pensions (which oversees the health and safety legislation).

The brief that Prof Löfstedt has been given is to find ways of reducing the burden of health and safety legislation on UK businesses while maintaining the progress made in improving health and safety outcomes. What he is after in the consultation is ideas on to how to remove problems and costs for businesses while not increasing the risks to customers. Ideas on how this can be achieved can be submitted to him on the form incorporated in the consultation document on this site. Submissions close on 29th July 2011.