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Reviewing the Regulators

Reviewing the Regulators

The Hampton Implementation Reviews assess how well regulators are following the Hampton principles of better regulation and the characteristics of effective sanctions defined by the Macrory review. They encourage best practice and continuous improvement among regulators.

The purpose of the reviews is to promote more effective and efficient regulatory activity. They will clearly demonstrate where the recommendations of Hampton and Macrory have been successfully implemented, and where there is still work to do.

The reviews should also help regulators:

• increase openness and transparency
• highlight areas for development
• spread good practice to other regulators.

Another aim is to improve the perception of regulators, among those being regulated, and so encourage better cooperation.

Who is being reviewed?

The following major national regulators were assessed between August and December 2007.

Health and Safety Executive
Food Standards Agency
Financial Services Authority
Environment Agency
Office of Fair Trading

Other national regulators will be formally reviewed in due course, but in the meantime the tool may be useful for informal self-assessment. It also contains guidance on good practice which regulators can adopt of their own accord.

How does the process work?

The reviews are carried out using the guide developed by the Better Regulation Executive and the National Audit Office, which includes assessment criteria and examples of evidence that should be evaluated.

The methodology included in the guide has been designed to be as flexible as possible, so it can be applied to regulators of all sizes, structures and functions. It will be reviewed and amended based on lessons learned during the review process, as well as comments from regulators and others involved in the review process.

Guide to Hampton Implementation Reviews [PDF, 627KB, 31 pages]