§ Dr. IddonTo ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what plans the Deregulation Unit has to consider the costs of regulatory compliance borne by not-for-profit organisations, with special reference to the Bolton and District Hospital Saturday. [143680]
§ Mr. StringerIn 1998, the Prime Minister announced that no regulatory proposal with an impact on business, charities or the voluntary sector should be considered by Ministers without a thorough assessment of the costs, benefits and risks. This process of regulatory impact assessment was strengthened in August 2000 with the publication of rigorous new guidance which separates policy and compliance costs and helps ensure that regulations are fair, meaningful and simple to understand.
In addition the Public Sector Team, within the Regulatory Impact Unit, has carried out extensive work in conjunction with other Departments to reduce the burden 245W of red tape and bureaucracy on front-line public sector workers. This includes a current study on GPs' paperwork.