HC Deb 10 July 2002 vol 388 cc977-8W
Dr. Cable

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many members of his Department have been employed in its regulatory impact unit in the past five years; and if he will make a statement. [65974]

Mr. Jamieson

The new Departmental Regulatory Impact Unit was established in October 2001 and it works for both the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and the Department for Transport.

Figures for earlier years are not comparable with the current baseline due to the different policy responsibilities. The resource position for 1997–2001 were parts of a Grade 7, SEO, EO and AO.

  • 1997–98 (1 April 1997 to 31 March 1998) = 4
  • 1998–99 (1 April 1998 to 31 March 1999) = 4
  • 1999–2000 (1 April 2000 to 31 March 2001) = 4
  • 2001–02 (1 April 2001 to 31 March 2002) = 4 staff, 2 full time, 2 job share.

It is the job of Departmental Regulatory Impact Units to establish and promote the principles of good regulation in their Departments. The staff in each unit work closely with the officials responsible for developing policies within their Department and the Regulatory Impact Unit within the Cabinet Office. They focus on those regulations that impact on business, charities, and the voluntary sector.