E157:05 29 November 2005

Responding to the better regulation challenge

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) today published its initial draft simplification plan, as part of its commitment to deliver the wider better regulation agenda, on its website. We want to know what you think.

The plan can be viewed at www.hse.gov.uk/consult/live.htm

We intend to meet the better regulation challenge set by government whilst improving health and safety outcomes and not reducing the levels of protection for workers or the public.

The plan sets out HSC/E’s determination to develop legislation that is easy to understand and comply with to help secure stronger commitment from business. It also supports our risk based, targeted approach to enforcement. Key themes include:

• simplification for business to help them concentrate on improving outcomes rather than bureaucratic processes
• changing the culture, for example through a campaign to tackle risk aversion
• challenging policy makers’ case for taking a regulatory approach and ensuring they address the impact of proposals on small businesses
• simplifying existing legislation
• joined up enforcement, including more effective partnership with local authorities to secure a consistent, targeted approach

The chair of the Small Business Council Julie Kenny welcomed the draft plan saying, “ HSE's draft simplification plan includes measures to achieve credible reductions in the regulatory burden to business. I congratulate the HSE for sharing its early thinking in a clear and concise way and for asking small businesses, what more can be done?"

David Arculus, Chair of the Better Regulation Task Force said, “HSE’s initial simplification plan contains a number of valuable initiatives to reduce the burden of regulation. The initial plan shows that independent regulators have an important role in delivering better regulation. I welcome HSE’s commitment to listen to stakeholders and develop meaningful simplification measures.”

Executive Chair of the Better Regulation Executive William Sargent added, “I congratulate HSE for identifying these early suggestions for simplifying their regulations affecting business. They will make a real difference. Early publication of this plan allows all businesses and organisations to comment and add new ideas for consideration.”

If you want to find out more about the Government’s better regulation agenda, please visit www.betterregulation.gov.uk

If you want to send us comment on the draft simplification plan (see www.hse.gov.uk), please email us at simplification@hse.gsi.gov.uk

Notes to Editors

1. Better regulation across public and private sectors is a priority for the Government, and has the personal commitment of both the Prime Minister and Chancellor. In the 2005 Budget the Government announced the publication of the Hampton and Better Regulation Task Force (BRTF) reports. These two key reports have set all Departments and regulators big challenges to reduce administrative burdens whilst improving effectiveness and outcomes. As a key regulator, HSE has given a firm commitment to deliver the better regulation agenda and it has moved quickly to establish a robust programme in response to the challenge.

2. The key task in delivering the BRTF recommendations is for all Departments, including HSC/E, to prepare a rolling programme of simplification measures contained in a draft plan. HSC/E’s plan will incorporate the recommendations made by the BRTF but also the wider better regulation agenda and the recommendations in the Hampton report eg inspections and mergers. In developing the plan HSC/E will take into account comments from stakeholders, and along with all Government Departments HSC/E will submit the draft to the Cabinet Office in January 2006.

Other better regulation agenda initiatives:

3. On 15 September 2005, The Cabinet Office launched a new way for businesses to challenge Government to simplify or scrap particular regulations they think are too burdensome. They have set up a new one-stop portal online at www.betterregulation.gov.uk where businesses can submit proposals for simplifying legislation.

4. Cabinet Office is leading an exercise to measure the administrative burden UK regulation puts on businesses. Using a UK Standard Cost Model it will measure across Government Departments the sum of the administrative burden. In March 2006 targets for reduction of admin burdens/costs across Government will be set. The results of this work will also feed into HSC/E’s simplification plan. See www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk for further information.

Public Enquiries : HSE InfoLine, Tel: 0845 345 0055, visit: www.hse.gov.uk/contact or write to: HSE InfoLine, Caerphilly Business Park, Caerphilly CF83 3GG.

Press Enquiries : Journalists only :

Ray Allger 020 7717 6179

Out of hours 020 7928 8382