§ Mrs. Ray MichieTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what initiatives his Department have undertaken to reduce bureaucracy for businesses in Scotland.
§ Mr. Stewart[holding answer 7 February 1994]: The Scottish Office, in common with all Government Departments, actively pursues the objectives of the deregulation initiative. These include the removal or streamlining of regulations which add to business costs and threaten competitiveness. It is intended that the regulatory burden on business be as light as possible without reducing important standards of protection for individuals, business or the environment. The current main elements of the deregulation initiative include the publication of the Deregulation and Contracting Out Bill. Details of other measures are contained in a variety of booklets published by, and available from, the Department of Trade and Industry deregulation unit. Copies have also been placed in the Library.