§ Mr. BercowTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will introduce targets for reducing the number of regulations issued by his Department over the next four years. [14429]
§ Dawn PrimaroloThe Government's policy is to regulate only when necessary, ensuring that regulations are fair and effective, so that they protect the vulnerable but do not stifle competitiveness or productivity.
New processes including the Regulatory Reform Act give us powerful tools to help cut down over-complex, over-lapping and over-burdensome regulatory regimes.
The Prime Minister has asked all Whitehall Departments to identify by the end of this year areas of legislation that are ripe for reform under this and other procedures. A Government-wide action plan will then be published containing firm commitments to specific reforms and initiatives which will aid both business and the public sector.
The Chancellor's Departments (along with Department's across Government) continue to explore ways of reducing regulatory burdens. There are no plans to introduce targets for reducing the number of regulations issued.