§ Mr. PageTo ask the Lord President of the Council what plans the Government have to give greater prominence to costs to business in the information provided to Parliament on Community legislation.
§ Mr. NewtonThe Government prepare compliance cost assessments—CCAs—in order to assess the impact of legislative proposals on business costs. From 19 July, CCAs will accompany all explanatory memoranda—EMs —relating to EC proposals with significant cost implications for business. This will aid parliamentary scrutiny by affording an early opportunity to take account of such implications in considering particular proposals. It will also put CCAs in the public domain on a consistent basis and will thus help other interested parties make their own assessment. It is not intended, however, that the new arrangements should hold up the submission of EMs; if a full CCA cannot be prepared to the time scale for EMs, the EM will carry the best possible initial assessment and the CCA will follow as quickly as possible.