§ Mr. SteenTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) if he will make a statement on internal procedures which have been put in place to ensure that European directives are not gold plated in domestic regulations in his Department; and how, when and by whom these procedures will be activated; [12260]
(2) if he will place in the Library copies of the guidance notes, office notes and other relevant documents which relate to the new internal procedures for (a) removing gold plating from existing domestic regulation and (b) ensuring new European directives are not gold plated. [12263]
§ Mr. Boswell[holding answer 30 January 1996]: The Ministry's firm policy is not to gold plate EC directives when implementing them in the UK by the addition of unnecessary burdens. Detailed and comprehensive procedures have been devised to help our close scrutiny of proposals to implement new EU directives to ensure these ends. We do not feel it appropriate to publish this internal departmental guidance. There is also close 778W consultation with other Departments on the further development of means to satisfy ourselves that no gold plating is taking place.
§ Mr. SteenTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to his answer of 19 December 1995,Official Report, column 1134, in what circumstances overwhelming policy reasons have amplified minimum regulatory standards when translating European directives into United Kingdom law; and if he will make a statement. [12261]
§ Mr. Boswell[holding answer 30 January 1996]: The cost of analysing all past statutory instruments, in order to identify those which may have amplified minimum regulatory standards, would be disproportionate.