Rules and Regulations (Hansard, 19 April 1995)

§ Mr. Steen
To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many rules and regulations he repealed in the first three months of 1995; and how many new rules and regulations were introduced in that period by way of statutory instruments, motions or orders. [19369]

§ Mr. Heseltine
[holding answer 18 April 1995]: In the first three months of 1995, there were three simple repeals of regulation. In the same period, 21 were introduced, not including commencement orders, Orders in Council and instruments not subject to parliamentary procedure, such as translations into Welsh, of which: 190W

nine repealed earlier instruments or substituted a more favourable regime for business

two implemented EU obligations, including measures to facilitate trade between member states

four facilitated privatisations and competition

four updated fees and charges or related to local legislation

the remaining two, while not fitting any of the categories above, had no adverse impact on business

Very few introduced new regulatory requirements which had costs for business.
Other deregulatory activity by my Department is described in the answer to another question given to my hon. Friend today.

§ Mr. Steen
To ask the President of the Board of Trade what requirements there are for officials in his Department to introduce a compliance cost assessment for all rules and regulations coming before him and his Ministers; and how many compliance cost assessments have been issued in his Department in the first three months of this year. [19354]

§ Mr. Heseltine
[holding answer 18 April 1995]: The Government have agreed that a compliance cost assessment should be prepared in the following circumstances:

in support of papers for collective discussion that deal with proposals which may have an impact on business;

when preparing statistical surveys which will involve business;

alongside draft primary, secondary and EC legislation having an impact on business when it is presented to Parliament;

as part of the advice to Ministers on the line to be taken on a private Member's Bill which affects business;

All CCAs accompanying draft Government legislation are published. My Department issued four of these in the first three months of this year, copies of which are in the Library. A list of all CCAs issued between November 1993 and June 1994 was published in December 1994—Cm 2719. Another Command Paper covering the period July to December 1994 will be published shortly.