§ 23. Mr. FabricantTo ask the President of the Board of Trade what plans he has to monitor the effect of EC regulations on small and medium-sized businesses.
§ Mr. HeseltineThe United Kingdom Government will continue to fight in Brussels to avoid unnecessary EC regulations. During our presidency, we secured agreement to a resolution which places pressure on the Commission to take full account of the impact on businesses, and particularly small and medium sized businesses, when drafting its proposals. We will build upon this foundation and ensure that all proposals listed in the European Commission's legislative programme likely to have a substantial impact upon United Kingdom business, are subjected to rigorous examination.
The Government have established a scrutiny of the formulation, implementation and enforcement of EC law in the United Kingdom with the aim of minimising the burdens on United Kingdom businesses, including smaller businesses.
§ 34. Mr. ThurnhamTo ask the President of the Board of Trade what recent representations he has received about the need of reduce the burden of regulations on small firms; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Neil HamiltonMy Department continues to receive, and act on, representations about regulatory burdens on small firms both from individual firms and representative bodies.
As part of the deregulation initiative to reduce the burden of regulations on business, my Department has recently set up seven task forces of business men, organised on a sectoral basis. The task forces, which include representatives from small firms, will advise Ministers on priorities for repeal and simplification with special reference to the needs of small businesses.