Consultation on Enforcement Strategy
How regulation is enforced can be just as important for managing the burdens on business as the overall volume of regulation; and the way in which enforcement is approached also impacts on our ability to deliver high levels of compliance. As part of the Government’s reform strategy we are looking for better ways to implement regulation, to improve compliance outcomes whilst reducing burdens on compliant businesses and focusing resources on higher risk organisations.
The Government has launched two documents underpinning a consultation period on regulatory enforcement to seek views on the best ways to deliver improvements. Proposed changes will deliver commitments made in the Growth Review as part of a package of measures to free up business from unnecessary regulatory burdens.
The two consultation documents are a Discussion Paper on improving the implementation of regulation and a document on the future of the Local Better Regulation Office (LBRO) and the Primary Authority (PA) scheme. We invite views from interested parties on these documents.
Transforming Regulatory Enforcement: Discussion Paper
In line with its growth agenda, the Government is keen to simplify the way enforcement is carried out so as to reduce burdens on business. The discussion paper sets out some guiding principles and puts forward initial thinking on specific areas for reform. This consultation is intended to inform policy development over the summer and a package of measures on enforcement later in the Autumn. We invite views from all interested persons to help us get the approach to enforcement right.
The consultation closes on 16 September 2011 and a package of measures on enforcement later in the Autumn. The Discussion Paper and the consultation response sheet can be found in the links below:
The future of the Local Better Regulation Office (LBRO) and the Primary Authority scheme
The Government is also consulting on the specific changes we are looking to make to the Local Better Regulation Office and the Primary Authority scheme. As part of the Government’s wider review of public bodies, which began in 2010, we propose to change the status of the LBRO so that it ceases to be a non-departmental public body and instead becomes a constituent part of BIS, carrying out specified functions. In the case of Primary Authority, the consultation is intended to support the public commitment to:
- strengthen the role of inspection plans to deliver earned recognition for business,
- broaden the eligibility criteria to enable more organisations to participate in the scheme, and
- extend the scheme to include specific areas of regulation which are currently out of scope.
We invite views from all interested parties, particularly those that may be affected by the proposed changes to the LBRO and the Primary Authority scheme. The consultation closes on 15 September 2011.
The Consultation Paper and consultation response sheet are available below:
We are also publishing the related Impact Assessments, which are available here:
Red Tape Challenge: Enforcement Theme
The Government recently launched the Red Tape Challenge (RTC) website as a tool for the public to have their say about regulatory burdens. Two of the enforcement sector champions, Simon Topman and Martin Traynor, have set out why they think the RTC is important and why people should take part:
YouTube: Red Tape Challenge
Alongside a consultation on the Discussion Paper on enforcement strategy, we are running through July and August (ending on 31 August 2011), there is also a dedicated section of the RTC website for capturing specific views on enforcement issues. This provides an easy route for business to input directly.
We invite input from trade associations, their members and other interested parties. Your input will be extremely valuable to us as we work to deliver an enforcement framework that is fit for purpose.
The Red Tape Challenge can be assessed at:
http://www.redtapechallenge.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/themehome/enforcement/
