§ Mrs. Curtis-ThomasTo ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what regulation impact assessments were carried out by Government Departments between the coming into force of the Deregulation and Contracting Out Act 1994 and 1 May 1997. [107004]
§ Mr. StringerBetween the coming into force of the Deregulation and Contracting Out Act in 1994 and 1 May 1997 Government Departments were required to complete Compliance Cost Assessments which were chiefly concerned with costs to business.
The Government's Better Regulation review of the regulatory system demonstrated the need for a more succinct and open system for assessing the full impact of regulatory proposals. Accordingly, since August 1998 Government Departments have been required to complete Regulatory Impact Assessments with the emphasis on identifying and publishing the risks, costs and benefits of proposed regulations; who is affected; and any non-regulatory alternatives.
Details of Compliance Cost Assessments from the November 1993 to November 1998 are contained in the twice yearly Command Papers called: The Command Paper of Compliance Cost Assessments. Since November 1998 the Command papers have included Regulatory Impact Assessments and are now called: The Command Paper of Regulatory Impact Assessments.