§ Mrs. Curtis-ThomasTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessment he has made of the potential impact on business associated with each of the following planned deregulation proposals(a) the disposal of houses by local authorities in England, (b) amending section 7 of the Building Act 1984 and (c) eligibility to drive a private hire vehicle outside London. [108776]
§ Ms Beverley Hughes[holding answer 7 February 2000]: A consultation exercise was carried out last year on the proposal concerning the disposal of houses by local authorities in England. Following this, an assessment of the potential impact on business has been produced, and is currently under consideration.
The proposals to amend Section 7 of the Building Act 1984 arose from proposals made by the Better Regulation Task Force. A forthcoming consultation will seek to identify the impact of amending Section 7, and this will be fully assessed by means of a Regulatory Impact Assessment prior to making a deregulation order.
The issues surrounding the eligibility to drive a private hire vehicle outside London are being considered in the light of consultation responses from business and other interested parties. If these result in a deregulation order, Cabinet Office guidance on making such an order will be followed. This guidance requires that a Regulatory Impact Assessment be produced.
§ Mrs. Curtis-ThomasTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessment he has made of the economic impact associated with each of the following deregulation orders and contracting out orders on business(a) the Deregulation (Parking Equipment) Order 1996, (b) the Deregulation (Motor Vehicles Tests) Order 1996, (c) the Deregulation (Building) (Initial Notices and Final Certificates) Order 1996, (d) the Deregulation (Exchangeable Driving Licences) Order 1998 and (e) the Deregulation (Taxis and Private Hire Vehicles) Order 1998. [108775]
§ Ms Beverley Hughes[holding answer 7 February 2000]: The five listed orders were laid prior to the requirement, introduced in August 1998, to produce Regulatory Impact Assessments looking at all economic impacts of proposals. At that time, Compliance Cost Assessments were required, but only for proposals expected to impose costs. Since, under the Deregulation and Contracting Out Act 1994, deregulation orders are not allowed to impose burdens, no such assessments were prepared in these cases.