§ Mr. TraceyTo ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what progress there has been in removing unnecessary burdens on business under the deregulation programme. [41334]
§ Mr. FreemanOver 750 regulations have been repealed or amended in the last three years, 420 in the last 12 months, with about 350 further regulations to be repealed or amended by the end of 1996.
The Government also announced a number of new measures including several in response to the second report by the deregulation task force on 23 September. These included: 1087W
consultation on the recommendation by the task force to exempt small businesses from unfair dismissal legislation for new employees;distribution to over 200,000 businesses through key business organisations of a green card setting out new rights under business-friendly enforcement procedures. These procedures are already being used in key areas such as health and safety, food safety and the new Environment Agency and are being extended;commitment to reduce the burden of Government surveys by up to 26 per cent. by 2000 as recommended by Edward Osmotherly;a pilot for an automated telephone calculation service for new employers making it easier to work out PAYE and NIC deductions;a pilot by selected local authorities of a "one-stop shop" giving a single point of contact for all development approvals under their responsibility; and the abolition or simplification of 67 business licences including the scrapping of seven of HM Customs and Excise's eight licensing or registration requirements.Copies of the deregulation task force's report, the Osmotherly report on statistical surveys, the Government's responses to those reports and the green card have been placed in the House Libraries.