§ Mr. SteenTo ask the President of the Board of Trade how he ensures that the negotiating brief for his officials discussing EU legislation takes fully into account the need to minimise the burdens on United Kingdom business. [13685]
§ Mr. PageOfficial guidance on how officials are to apply deregulatory principles when negotiating EC regulations are contained in the booklet "Getting a Good Deal in Europe". This guidance has also been supplemented by the recent publication of guidance on the preparation of compliance cost assessments which stresses that the likely burdens on business highlighted by UK compliance cost assessments of EC proposals should be integral to the UK's negotiating strategy.
Copies of both these guidance booklets have been placed in the Libraries of the House.