§ Mr. SteenTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how often the Deregulation Task Force has met in the last 12 months: what recommendations they have made; how many recommendations have been implemented; what savings businesses have made as a result; and if she will make a statement. [72156]
§ Mr. AlexanderI have been asked to reply.
The Better Regulation Task Force meets every month but August. Since July 2001, the Task Force has produced six reports, on regulatory issues concerning: Local Shops, Economic Regulators; Housing Benefit; Employment Regulations; Local delivery of Central Policy; and Higher Education. These reports together made 54 recommendations. The Government have, to date, responded to three of these reports and has rejected only one recommendation. The Task Force is an advisory body and cannot itself directly reduce costs on business.