§ 2. Mr. John Bercow (Buckingham)If he will make a statement on the work of the better regulation task force. [75357]
§ The Parliamentary Secretary, Cabinet Office (Mr. Peter Kilfoyle)The better regulation task force is providing valuable advice. So far, it has published five major reports, and it will publish a further four over the next three months.
§ Mr. BercowGiven that British companies are now expected to swim in a sea of regulation deeper and more hazardous than any that they previously have had to negotiate, and given that the British food industry alone now faces extra regulatory costs of £497 million imposed by the Government, will the Minister urge all his ministerial colleagues to study the United States Regulatory Flexibility Act 1980 and the Small Businesses Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act 1996, and then to heed the lessons of that crucial legislation?
§ Mr. KilfoyleNot for the first time, the hon. Gentleman has shown his ignorance of what is actually 1106 happening in government. He is obviously not aware of the work that is done not only by the better regulation task force, but by the better regulation unit—or of the work that we do to help businesses, small and large, by means of initiatives such as the access business initiative and the outstanding initiative announced recently by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, which was designed to focus on the needs of small business.
Business—and, not least, his hon. Friend the hon. Member for Totnes (Mr. Steen)—would appreciate it if the hon. Gentleman gave some credit to the Government's attempts to support business, rather than denigrating them. They might even enlighten the hon. Gentleman about what business is actually doing, which bears no relation to his prejudiced view.
§ Dr. Brian Iddon (Bolton, South-East)I congratulate my hon. Friend on the work that the better regulation task force is doing. Last July, it published an excellent guidance document for Ministers, recommending eight weeks as the minimum period for consultation on Government regulations. Is my hon. Friend's section of the Cabinet Office monitoring whether that good advice is followed? I ask because, over the busy Christmas period, the Medicines Control Agency issued an important regulation, which is causing a good deal of controversy, called MLX 249. Last Wednesday, in an Adjournment debate, we were told that the MCA's consultation period was six to eight weeks.
§ Mr. KilfoyleWe have issued guidance, and we are monitoring whether it is followed. I should add that it is advice, not prescriptive guidance. However, my hon. Friend's comments will be brought to the attention of the appropriate Minister.