§ Mr. Gordon PrenticeTo ask the Deputy Prime Minister what estimates he has made of the compliance costs for small businesses of regulations introduced since April 1992. [40480]
§ Mr. FreemanThe information requested is not available. As part of its approach to producing good regulation, the Government have adopted the deregulation task force's principle of "think small first" which means making sure that regulations will not have a disproportionate impact on small businesses. The Government have incorporated the "small business litmus test" as part of the compliance cost assessment procedure to give practical effect to this principle which is carried out on all regulatory proposals which impact on business. The results of the test are included in individual compliance cost assessments on regulatory proposals which are available in the House Libraries.
§ Mr. PrenticeTo ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many regulations carried into law since 1979 have been identified by the deregulation unit as suitable for repeal. [39845]
§ Mr. FreemanWe have identified over 1,000 regulations for amendment or repeal, but information about the date each regulation was carried into law is not centrally held. By adopting the deregulation task force's principles of good regulation—"think small first", proportionality, and goal-based regulation—we aim to get regulation right first time. We believe that the effects of legislation should be regularly monitored and reviewed and changes made if they are justified.