Deregulation Initiative (Hansard, 18 December 1990)

§ Mr. Redwood

The deregulation initiative serves as a means of ensuring scrutiny of new and existing regulation and the proper assessment of compliance costs for business. Its next phase which I am announcing today focuses on a number of key areas, including some where Government Departments will be targeting attention on certain outdated or burdensome requirements which business has identified as causing difficulty.

In addition the specialist deregulation unit in my Department will support the initiative as a whole by taking the lead on certain general issues, and by continuing to work with business to identify regulatory burdens and to co-operate with departments to achieve good deregulatory outcomes on particular issues.

The new programme of work includes action in the following areas: continuing development and evaluation of disciplines and techniques for counting compliance costs to business and securing good regulatory practice across Whitehall—deregulation unit, DTI; promotion of good regulatory practice in the European Community—deregulation unit, DTI; the administration of rules affecting the workplace, employment conditions, PAYE, national insurance; new integrated guidance for employers and individuals involved in flexible forms of work—Department of Employment; new integrated guidance for the establishment of workplace creches—Department of Employment; review of requirements for annual renewal of exemption certificates for certain NI contributors— 100W Department of Social Security; review scope for eliminating some of the differences in definitions of earnings and expenses for PAYE and NIC purposes—Department of Social Security and Inland Revenue.

The regime for smaller businesses: reduction in reporting requirements for small company accounts—Department of Trade and Industry; examination of scope for new forms of incorporation—Department of Trade and Industry.

The small investor: simplification of requirements for prospectuses—Department of Trade and Industry.

VAT compliance: review of VAT retail schemes with a view to simplifying requirements on business—Her Majesty's Customs and Excise.

Planning: review of procedures for designating simplified planning zones—Department of the Environment.

Data Protection: reduce the burden of data protection legislation—Home Office.

Specific controls affecting certain types of business: review of selected business licensing requirements—deregulation unit, DTI; review evening opening of betting offices—Home Office; continue to seek ways of simplifying the operation of the Financial Services Act—Department of Trade and Industry; review scope for streamlining the onshore petroleum licensing scheme—Department of Energy; review the system of consents and licenses to work in tidal waters and designated areas of the continental shelf with a view to rationalisation—Department of Transport; develop new safety controls on food producers and retailers in ways which minimise burdens on business—Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, and Department of Health; exempt vehicles from national type approval requirements to permit use on public roads for testing and publicity purposes—Department of Transport; delegate to classification societies the approval of stability information for drilling units and ships which are mobile offshore support units—Department of Transport.

International trade and exports: improve immigration procedures at London airports to facilitate international business travel—Home Office; further streamline export licensing procedures—Department of Trade and Industry; review procedures for issuing E101 certificates for people working abroad—Department of Social Security.