Standards

Business sceptical of red tape initiative

The great majority of UK businesses do not have confidence in the success of the government’s plans to reduce regulatory burdens, according to a report from the National Audit Office (NAO).

The NAO, reporting on the government’s administrative burdens reduction programme, found businesses to consider over-regulation a pressing concern: 60% believe the level of UK regulation is an obstacle to business success, and 85% are not confident the government will succeed in reducing these burdens.
 

However, the report did find that government departments have made some progress in identifying measures to reduce burdens. Departments are seeking to reduce administrative burdens on business by at least 25% by 2010, and have published plans outlining over 500 simplification methods.

Sir John Bourn, NAO head, said: “For regulatory reform to succeed, departments must understand business and measure and communicate results. So far they have made a pragmatic start”.

Following this, the government published Next Steps on Regulatory Reform, which sets out how the new Department for Business, Enterprise & Regulatory Reform intends to realise better regulation for business.

August 2007