Regulation made as simple as possible
25 June 2009
Bookmark and Share
 
   
Email article : Print article : More articles like this
Regulation affects every aspect of our lives, from the food we eat to how we do business. It provides essential protections, but we hear that there is too much regulation and its cost is crushing business, particularly small and medium-sized businesses.
The recession has put this issue into a much sharper focus, with any new costs having a greater impact on financial survival and success. This is why we want to update FPB members on what has been done – and ask you to get involved.
 
How is Government making a difference and cutting the costs of regulation for business? The Better Regulation Executive (BRE) leads the Government's work in reducing bureaucracy and making life as simple as possible for firms. It is helping to save businesses valuable time and money, an estimated £5 million a day every day so far. It is on track to deliver more than £3 billion a year savings to business.
 
Big figures and big policies might be good for big announcements, but are small businesses on the ground feeling the benefit? We hear the answer is yes. The difference is being felt through measures such as making health and safety simple, through online guidance and sample risk assessments; and getting rid of time consuming paperwork for employers.
 
"Doing PAYE was a real headache for us. Now the P11 calculator does it all for you – saving all that time and paperwork is really useful."  - Jeffrey Ellis, Owner, Shevington Cars.
 
Controlling the costs of regulation, especially in the current economic circumstances, is essential if the Government wants its better regulation initiative to achieve its aims. Which is why the Business Secretary, Peter Mandelson, recently announced a package of measures to deliver real help to businesses now and better long term management of the impact of new regulations.  Ministers will carefully consider delaying planned and new regulations.
 
The Government is committed to reforming regulation, making it more straightforward and reducing costs to business, but delivering stronger outcomes for everyone. As the BRE approaches the May 2010 deadline of cutting the burden of paperwork for businesses by a quarter, we are thinking carefully about where to focus next. Where should it set new targets to cut the costs of regulation? And how best can we build on the progress made in changing the way Government approaches regulation? Government does not have all the answers and business is best placed to help it take the right steps forward.
 
This is why BRE has been meeting with businesses and listening to their issues and concerns. So far we have visited nine regions across the UK, and met with nearly 2,500 businesses, from small bakeries to multinationals. By starting a dialogue we are showing how we are helping to make a difference and encouraging business to suggest how we can make life simpler for them. Don't miss out on this opportunity.
 
For more information on how BRE is helping smaller businesses like yours, visit www.betterregulation.gov.uk. You can submit suggestions on how to make life simpler by changing and improving regulation and Government is committed to responding to within 90 days.


Related articles