Employment Legislation (Hansard, 18 March 2002)

§ Alan Johnson

The Government want the UK to be the best place in the world to do business. To help achieve this we will eliminate unnecessary regulation and minimise the burdens imposed by regulation that is necessary. We have significantly strengthened the systems that control the regulatory burden. The Government have established the Better Regulation Task Force and the Ministerial Panel for Regulatory Accountability, appointed Ministers for Regulatory Reform in the main regulating Departments, and set up the Small Business Service to ensure that regulations do not impose unnecessary burdens.

In February we published the Regulatory Reform Action Plan—setting out proposals for better regulation and reform across Whitehall, local government and health authorities. The plan brings together in one document over 250 proposals for change—some already announced, some entirely new proposals—representing snapshot of reform plans at start of 2002. These will benefit businesses, charities and the voluntary sector. It represents a good beginning, but Government will continue working to identify and bring forward proposals to reduce the overall regulatory burden.

The Government are working to ensure that similar disciplines and procedures are in place at European Union level. In particular we want to see an early and full implementation by the commission of the recommendations of the Mandelkern Report on Better Regulation. This report was produced by a high level group of experts from all 15 EU member states and makes recommendations on alternatives to regulation, impact assessment, consultation, simplification, access to regulation, structures and implementation.

The Government are encouraging the European Commission, European Parliament and other member states to implement these recommendations. We look forward to the Commission's Action Plan for Better Regulation, which will be presented to the Seville European Council in June, being based on the Mandelkern report.