HC Deb 31 January 1989 vol 146 cc197-9W
Mr. David Shaw

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whether the rolling programme of deregulation reviews referred to in the White Paper, "Releasing Enterprise", has been determined.

Mr. Maude

I am announcing today details of the first rolling programme of deregulation reviews to be carried out by Government Departments. This carries forward commitments undertaken in the Government's recent White Paper "Releasing Enterprise" (Cm 512) which was published in November 1988.

We regard this programme of reviews as essential to keep a check on existing requirements or regulations which, although they may have seemed reasonable at the time, have become outdated, over-burdensome or simply unnecessary.

Together with the existing mechanisms we have in place for new legislation, we hope to be able to free enterprise from unnecessary Government interference.

Each year, Departments will review at least one area of their work, with an emphasis on consultation, particularly with business, at all stages. Where possible, business expertise will be brought in to assist.

The results of this programme will be reported to Parliament once it has been completed.

The first programme of deregulation is as follows:

Enterprise and Deregulation Unit

  1. (i) Business Licensing Review of the administration of business licences.
  2. (ii) Fire and building review Review of overlap of building control and fire regulations, the way the legislation is implemented and the requirements for consistent enforcement.

Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food

  1. (i) Compulsory dipping of sheep against sheep scab This will consider the burden to farmers and possible alternatives to compulsory dipping while maintaining adequate control over the disease.
  2. (ii) Enforcement of fruit and vegetable marketing standards Review of the EC regulations laying down marketing standards for fruit and vegetables and their impact on United Kingdom traders.

Her Majesty's Customs and Excise

  1. (i) VAT second-hand schemes VAT is paid on the margin between the selling and purchase price with second-hand schemes. The review will examine ways of reducing the record-keeping requirements.
    2. 198
  2. (ii) Export data capture The review is to examine increasing direct trader input of export data in customs computers to bring it into line with import systems.

Department of Employment and the Home Office

  1. (i) Work permit scheme To ensure that the rules and operation of the scheme enable business to hire overseas non-EC staff with the minimum regulation required to safeguard the employment of resident labour and for immigration control.

Health and Safety Executive

  1. (i) Factories Act section 139 To review the need for employers to post copies of health and safety regulations or notices at workplaces, with a view to amendment or repeal of section 139 of the Factories Act 1961.

Department of the Environment

  1. (i) Use Classes Order part II To review the Special Industrial Use Classes which are five groups of industries, eg chemicals, smelting and other metal treatment and animal by-products. Because of the processes involved these create particular environmental problems and the review will be done with a view to rationalisation of the Use Classes Order.

Department of Health

  1. (i) NHS standard conditions of contract To overhaul Health Authority procedures for tendering and contracting, with particular reference to extending competition and best procurement practices.
  2. (ii) NHS supplies To streamline the NHS approved supplier/ contractor system under which at present each regional NHS Authority conducts its own separate vetting and appraisal.

Home Office

  1. (i) Data Protection Act Review of implementation of the Data Protection Act 1984, with particular regard to the impact on data users of the registration requirements.
  2. (ii) Business licences Review of the administration of the business licences for which the Home Office is responsible.

Inland Revenue

  1. (i) Pay as you earn communications with employers Full scrutiny-style review of all communications between the Inland Revenue and business about PAYE.

Office of the Minister for the Civil Service

  1. (i) Forms To identify the means of reducing the burden of Government forms on business and make recommendations.

Department of Social Security

  1. (i) Inquiries of business To simplify the way in which social security information is obtained from employers, and drop outdated requirements.

Department of Transport

  1. (i) HGV and PSV operator licensing To consider the scope for reducing the burden imposed by operator licensing on goods and passenger vehicle operators.

Department of Trade and Industry

  1. (i) Steel scrap export licensing
  2. (a) Ferrous Scrap: to review the need for export licences for all grades of steel and non-alloy scrap.
    3. 199
  3. (b) Control of Stainless Steel and High Alloy Scrap Exports: to review the continuing need for an early 1980s agreement between DTI and the steel industry giving BSC first refusal on all supplies.

(ii) Regional selective assistance

To consider the possibility of a shortened and simplified offer letter for smaller cases and the extent to which payment and monitoring procedures can be simplified.

(iii) Insurance

To review the data collection requirements of this area with a view to eliminating those which are unnecessary while making the essential compliance, collection and use of data as cost effective as possible.

(iv) Copper scrap quotas

To prepare the case for the removal of the annual quota imposed by the EC on copper exports.

(v) Export procedures review implementation (with Customs and Excise and the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food)

To implement the recommendations of the enterprise and deregulation unit's export procedures review.