Businesses Offered Chance to Slash Red Tape

Businesses are being urged to get involved in government moves to reduce the burden of red tape.

A range of measures, announced on 18 March, will include a public audit of almost 22,000 business regulations to weed out those that are no longer needed. Other measures include:

• repealing the regulations extending the right to request flexible working to parents of 17 year olds for all businesses, which was due start on 6 April 2011.
• continued exemption from the right to request time off to train for firms with less than 250 people.

The public audit will see legislation grouped into themes on a dedicated website, with businesses asked to tell the government what they think of those regulations and how to improve the system. The aim is that over-burdensome or unnecessary regulations will be removed unless government departments can make a strong case for keeping them.

Business Secretary Vince Cable said: “It’s not right that businesses should have to deal with years of government intervention by abiding by arcane rules. That’s why I am asking them to help us take a comprehensive look at the stock of regulation and tell us how rules and regulations affect them.

“This is the first time such a radical look at the statute book has been taken and we’re giving you the chance to play your part. I’d encourage all businesses, large and small to grab it with both hands.”

LINK: Business Minister unveils proposals