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The Anderson Review

The Good Guidance Guide: Taking the uncertainty out of regulation

Every year almost half of businesses seek external advice about how to follow regulations, spending at least £1.4 billion. The 2008 Enterprise Strategy asked Sarah Anderson CBE to conduct an independent review looking into the best ways Government can give regulatory guidance to businesses.

Nature of the Review

The report, 'The Good Guidance Guide' published on 28th January 2009, focuses on the need for government to give businesses greater certainty over finding, following and interpreting guidance.

The report focuses on:

• Increasing certainty over outcome
• Making guidance more accessible
• Providing clearer guidance
• Achieving consistent guidance across government
• Changing the culture of the relationship between regulators and businesses

Biography of reviewer

Sarah Anderson ran her own company for 19 years – Mayday Group – a four branch specialist employment business and agency providing catering staff. Other business interests include being joint founder and Director of Simple Solutions Ltd. She is also a non-executive director of Jobcentre Plus, the UK’s largest government agency and Council Member of ACAS. In October 2005 she was appointed Director of London Samaritans and has been a member of the Employment Tribunal Steering Board since April 2006. In the past she has provided ‘Angel’ finance and worked as a small business counsellor in London.

The report, 'The Good Guidance Guide' and supporting documentation is available below.

• The Anderson review. The good guidance guide: taking the uncertainty out of regulation (752KB)
• The Anderson review of Government guidance on regulation. Business perspectives of Government guidance: research study (426KB)
• The Anderson review: summary of views from meetings with small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) (113KB)

The Government Response to the Anderson Review

The Government welcomes 'The Good Guidance Guide' from the Anderson Review and is taking forward work to address the intent of the recommendations.

The Government published its response on 5th March 2009 and has committed to take actions including:

• piloting a telephone advice service, which provides tailored, insured advice to help businesses comply with employment and health and safety law;
• removing the disclaimers which create uncertainty when relying on government guidance;
• giving inspectors greater discretion about the prosecution of businesses that reasonably believe they are following guidance; and
• setting out when it will update the most frequently used guidance to comply with the 'Code of Practice on Guidance'.
  

Government response to the Anderson review (123KB)

The Anderson Review and the Code of Practice on Guidance on Regulation

In October 2009, several proposals made in Sarah Anderson's report were implemented in the 'Code of Practice on Guidance on Regulation'. Please see the Code of Practice on Guidance on Regulation page, for full details. 

Taking the insured advice recommendation forward

The Government is running three pilots between September 2009 and April 2011. Information on this can be found on the relevant webpage:Taking the insured advice recommendation forward