§ 11. Mrs. Curtis-ThomasTo ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if she will make a statement on the development of the regulatory impact assessment system. [144208]
§ Mr. StringerThis Government are determined that regulations should not be introduced unless they are really necessary and the benefits justify the costs. A thorough regulatory impact assessment is required for all new regulations that impact on business. Over the last two years, we have introduced a number of initiatives to support and strengthen this process such as the panel for regulatory accountability, a minimum three-month consultation period and a revised assessment of costs and benefits with a greater emphasis on the impact on small businesses.