§ Mr. BellinghamTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what studies her Department has made comparing the regulations to implement the working time directive in the United Kingdom with those in other EU member states, with particular reference to France; what plans she has to(a) improve the clarity and (b) reduce the length of the United Kingdom regulations; and if she will make a statement. [132852]
§ Mr. SutcliffeMy officials are in regular contact with their counterparts from other member states, and share ideas for the implementation of the working time directive. They have followed developments in France with particular interest. However, direct comparison of the legislation is difficult because of the legal codes on which they are based.
I am fully committed to the Better Regulation principles of clarity in regulation. The Commission are currently reviewing elements of the working time directive and we will need to look at the UK regulations again in the light of that work. In consultation with the stakeholders we will look to see if there is scope to simplify and reduce the length of the regulations, but would need to balance any reduction in length against the corresponding potential reduction in clarity.