§ Mr. David ShawTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the impact of(a) his policies and (b) the work of his Department in helping small businesses in the last 12 months as against the previous 12 months; and if he will publish the performance indicators by which his Department monitors the impact and the statistical results of such monitoring. [39139]
§ Mr. NorrisThe Government recognise the crucial role played by small firms in the UK economy and aim to help them by providing sound economic conditions—keeping inflation and interest rates low—by reducing legislative administrative and taxation burdens and, where appropriate, by providing direct assistance in the form of specialist advice and support and easing access to finance.
The recently published transport Green Paper recognised the central importance of maintaining a transport system that provides business with an efficient means of moving goods and raw materials around the country. The paper sets out the Government's assessment of the future for transport in the UK and the measures that need to be taken to meet the differing demands of the economy, the environment and the individual.
My Department has, like others, reviewed the regulations for which it is responsible to ensure that unnecessary or over burdensome regulation is cut back. When considering new regulations, we take particular account of the burden and cost regulations impose on small businesses.
Over the past 12 months, we have introduced measures to relax the regulation for signing tourist destinations. These now include provisions for signing of hotels, restaurants and tourist attractions which were previously excluded. We have also simplified the licensing arrangements for goods vehicle operators, 80 per cent. of whom run fewer than a total of four heavy goods vehicles. Previously, licences were granted for a maximum of four years at a time, but a system of continuous licensing is now in place.