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20 October 2005
DCMS Tackles Red Tape And Regulation
Tourism Minister James Purnell today launched a bureaucracy-busting task force for the culture, media and sport industries, at the 4th annual European Tourism Forum in Malta.
In his speech to fellow EU ministers and representatives from the EU tourism industry, James Purnell said that burdensome regulation is an EU-wide problem – and the UK is taking steps to address it.
The move follows Government and industry concern that smaller businesses must not be stifled by red tape and unnecessary regulations.
The DCMS Better Regulation Panel will set targets for reducing the cost of regulation, putting Government on notice to make cuts in the level of burden placed on business.
Speaking after the Forum, which was part of the UK Presidency of the European Union, James Purnell said:
"Smaller businesses are the heart of the tourism industry and I want to make sure that anyone thinking of setting up a new business isn't overwhelmed by regulation.
"Tourism in the UK is worth more than £75 billion a year, making it the fifth biggest industry in the country.
"We've set a tough target to make it worth £100 billion by 2010 and cutting red-tape is crucial to this goal.
"I look forward to hearing the recommendations of the Better Regulation Panel and seeing them put into action."
The panel will work to secure significant reductions in the administrative burdens that businesses in DCMS sectors face. This will focus on regulations that DCMS are responsible for and the impact that other Departments' regulations have on business within our sectors.
They will then make recommendations on what action the Department should take.
The first sector to be addressed by the Panel will be the tourism industry.
Panel members will include independent experts from a cross-section of DCMS business areas, senior DCMS staff and representatives from the Better Regulation Executive.
Notes to Editors
1. The Better Regulation Panel will advise the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) on regulatory reforms in tourism and all other cultural sectors.
2. The Panel has been set up in response to the Better Regulation Task Force Report 'Less is More', of which all recommendations for relieving the burden on business were accepted by the Prime Minister. The report was published in March.
3. The panel will meet for the first time on 16 November and will meet up to three or four times a year.
DCMS press enquiries: 020 7211 6269
Out of hours pager no: 07699 751153
Public enquiries: 020 7211 6200
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