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Businesses asked to point the finger at excessive red tape

Businesses have been invited to blow the whistle on regulations that are both excessive and inconsistent in an effort to reduce the compliance burden faced by many firms.

The new drive, aimed at freeing enterprises from the shackles that administering the rules often imposes, is a result of feedback that the Government has received since launching its Red Tape challenge.

The challenge asked firms to identify those rules where tick-box regulation, multiple inspections and contradictory advice are making it more difficult both to run their businesses and to develop and grow.

Specifically, the Government wants to hear about the way in which regulations are being enforced.

These include those aspects of enforcement which businesses find most difficult to deal with; the impact of enforcement on the running of firms; the willingness of regulators to recognise the efforts of businesses to comply with the rules; the ease or otherwise with which businesses can appeal against or complain about the way regulations are enforced; and the flexibility of regulation enforcement when measured against the ability of firms to develop and evolve.

Mark Prisk, the Business Minister, said: “The Government has already taken positive steps to reduce the burden that regulation places on our businesses. But when nearly two-thirds of businesses believe that a ‘tick box’ culture exists, we need to act.

“Inspections and enforcement are the most noticeable way in which business experiences regulation. The Red Tape Challenge has already highlighted a number of ways in which compliance problems are getting in the way of businesses, but we weren’t getting enough information on the problems. That’s why we’ve made this natural extension to the Red Tape Challenge as a direct response to the public’s comments.

“So tell us about the good, the bad and the ugly side of how the regulations you deal with are enforced, and help us get the Government off your back.”

More details of the consultation can be found at: http://www.bis.gov.uk/policies/better-regulation/improving-regulatory-de…