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Government departments, agencies and regulators have released simplification plans. The plans set out a programme of work which aims to deliver a £2 billion reduction in administrative burdens on business and charities, as well as policy savings and public sector savings. Measures to simplify regulation:
Each simplification plan includes a section which sets out in detail the individual simplification measures which will reduce the regulatory burden. To assist understanding and ensure transparency, these sections have been brought together into a single document.
19 departments, regulators and agencies have produced simplification plans:
The Better Regulation Commission's 'Less is More' report recommended that the Government measure the administrative burdens which it imposes, set targets for their reduction and publish simplification plans which explain how it will be achieved. The Government accepted the recommendations of the report in spring 2005, and said it would complete the measurement, set targets and publish plans during 2006. This has now been done.
Administrative burdens have been measured. Departments and key agencies have accepted targets to reduce these burdens by at least 25 per cent by 2010. Nineteen simplification plans have been published. The plans contain over 500 measures which tackle unnecessary regulation. Departmental simplification plans reduce the overall administrative burden by £2 billion annually by 2010.
The plans identify areas in which the policy burdens on business and the third sector can be reduced. The plans contain savings through the removal of policy burdens worth over £800 million annually by 2010. The plans also contain regulatory burden savings for the public sector worth £1.6 billion annually by 2010.
The savings in the plans also include reductions in administrative burdens agreed in Brussels. Many of the administrative burdens on UK business originate at EU level. This makes it important that regulatory reform is pursued with the UK's European partners. Strong progress is being made, with individual member states and EU institutions becoming increasingly committed to simplification. The UK is at the forefront of this work, and will continue to take the lead.
A key element of making simplification work is achieving culture change in government. This year's plans describe how departments will improve the way they make and implement policy.
These plans mark the start of a rolling programme, with year-on-year improvements. Departments will update plans each year.
Plans will develop best under external scrutiny. The Better Regulation Commission will independently scrutinise the plans and continue to encourage departments to be ambitious.
For further information about the Government's plans to simplfiy regulation and about departments’ simplification plans, please contact:
Telephone: 020 7276 2829
Postal address:
Simplifying Regulation