New government code to cut red tape

News Article - 10 April 2008
Category:

The government has launched a new code of practice aimed at reducing the burden of red tape on small businesses in Britain.

Part of recent government attempts to cut the amount of red tape in the UK, the new Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform code requires regulators to adopt a new risk-based approach to inspection and enforcement.

Ministers have created the new Regulators' Compliance Code to "help save businesses time and money by improving the way regulators work with them", introducing fewer inspections and a lighter regulatory burden for compliant firms.

Shriti Vadera, business and competitiveness minister, explained: "The government understands that regulation is one of the top concerns for business. The Compliance Code requires regulators to work better with business and ease the burdens placed on those who operate within the rules."

Businesses will be provided with clearer advice on how to adhere to the law from national regulators such as the Environment Agency and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and firms will be given the chance to challenge regulators failing to follow the code.

Chancellor Alistair Darling pledged to do more to reduce the burden of red tape on small businesses in his 2008 Budget.

SME accounting software can provide smaller firms with systems that help them to meet their regulatory obligations.

Article keywords:

---

More industry news

• Think tank warns UK may have already slipped back into recession
• Growing demand for HR staff in technology and international sectors
• Boosting business growth a ‘priority’ to avoid Eurozone slowdown
• HMRC launches alternative disputes pilot scheme this week
• December employment statistics disregard gloomy recruitment predictions
• Eurozone manufacturing PMI shows modest improvement
• UK scores highly for economic governance by ratings agency
• Government launches two-year project focusing on manufacturing sector
• Burden of regulation on UK businesses ‘too high’

Back to news home page »