§ Mr. GibbTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list changes since 1 May 1997638W to United Kingdom law in areas covered by his Department's responsibilities which have been directly legislated by EU Regulations; and if he will list these regulations. [97950]
§ Mrs. LiddellThe Department does not collect this information in this form. All Explanatory Memoranda for EU Regulations covering the DTI's areas of responsibilities are available in the House of Commons Library, and the six-monthly "Command Paper of RIAs'" (Regulatory Impact Assessments), also available in the Library of the House, lists all EMs with a major impact on the UK.
§ Mr. GibbTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what procedures his Department has to ensure that British industry is not put at a competitive disadvantage compared with industry in other EU member states from the timing and implementation of EU directives. [97951]
§ Mrs. LiddellConsultation with UK business is a key priority for the DTI, both when taking forward negotiation of EU directives and, once they are agreed, in deciding how to implement them. Such consultation concerns both the substance of any directives and the timing of the implementation. The "Guide to Better European Legislation", issued by my right hon. Friend the Minister for the Cabinet Office and made available to all MPs, is the key source of advice for officials dealing with EC legislation and this sets out the requirements for the completion of regulatory impact assessments to identify the likely impact of any legislative proposal, and offers practical advice on implementing EC legislation in an effective, timely and proportionate manner. We support initiatives to improve regulation such as SLIM (Simpler Legislation in the Internal Market), aimed at simplifying the business environment, and the Business Test Panel, aimed at improving consultation with business on the likely impact of selected legislative proposals.