§ Mr. McFallTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what meetings he or his officials have had with representatives of the retail industry and other sectors to discuss costs which may result from the proposed Workplace (Fire Precautions) Regulations. [8414]
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§ Mr. SackvilleOfficials met representatives of the British Retail Consortium on 1 August to discuss compliance costs associated with proposals for Workplace (Fire Precautions) Regulations. Since then, they have corresponded and spoken with representatives of that organisation on a number of occasions. Most recently, officials from the fire safety unit and Her Majesty's fire service inspectorate carried out cost assessment visits to workplaces with the BRC and Francis Maude, chairman of the Government's deregulation task force, on 26 November.
Representatives of other sectors were consulted as part of the consultative exercise carried out between 21 May and 9 August this year.
§ Mr. McFallTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he intends to implement the Workplace (Fire Precautions) Regulations; and what compliance costs have been estimated by his Department. [8415]
§ Mr. SackvilleFollowing an extensive consultation process, we intend to make regulations shortly. A compliance cost assessment will accompany the regulations.