HC Deb 21 October 1999 vol 336 c650W
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office which regulations have been identified as(a) no longer necessary and (b) capable of simplification. [94502]

Marjorie Mowlam

The Government have recently announced plans to remove and simplify regulations in a number of areas including; licensing law, the complex rules on tax relief on stakeholder and personal pension contributions, the law on weights and measures and the current system of consumer credit. We are also looking at simplifying regulation of the private recruitment industry, speeding up the way houses are bought and sold, and have announced a major review of farming regulations.

In addition, we are introducing legislation to make it easier for Departments to remove or refocus out-dated regulations by increasing the flexibility of the Deregulation and Contracting Out Act as soon as parliamentary time allows.