HC Deb 18 July 2002 vol 389 cc524-5W
Dr. Cable

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 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. [65978]

Mr. McCartney

From April 1997 to the present date, the Department for Work and Pensions has employed the following numbers of staff in its regulatory impact unit (RIU)April 1997 to October 1997: Two full-time members of staff (combining RIU work with other work responsibilities) October 1997 to April 1999: One full-time member of staff (combining RIU work with other work responsibilities) April 1999 to the present: One full-time member of staff dedicated to the work of the Department's RIU.

It is the job of Department's regulatory impact unit to establish arid promote in the Department the principles of good regulation, so that all officials within it may contribute effectively to the Government's regulatory reform initiative. The unit also works closely with the regulatory impact unit in the Cabinet Office, and with the small business service. A key element of the unit's work is to help minimise the impact on business, charities, and the voluntary sector, of those Departmental regulations which are necessary.

Note:

Data before April 2001 refer to the Department of Social Security.