The Government is
asking anyone involved in making investments and running large
projects on the coast to feed in their experiences, good and bad,
of dealing with local and national regulators as part of the Focus
on Enforcement campaign. This move has been welcomed by the
Engineering Employers Federation and the Marine Management
Organisation.
Business and Enterprise Minister Mark Prisk said:
“The Government is keen to support the economic development
of coastal communities and seaside towns, promoting sustainable
economic growth and jobs, so that people are better able to
respond to the changing economic needs and opportunities of their
area.
“Dealing with the way regulations are enforced and the
different processes for consents, licences and assessments can
sometimes be a real issue for those who want to invest in coastal
projects. That’s why I’m urging anyone involved in making
investments and running large projects on the coast to visit the
Focus on Enforcement website and let us know your views so that we
can consider and take any necessary action.
“We know there are examples of good practice too, so we also
want you to tell us on the website about the people who give
really good advice and support. This is your chance to make a real
difference to the way regulations are enforced.”
Chief Executive of the Manufacturers’ Organisation Terry
Scuoler said:
“Our coasts and estuaries offer a wealth of exciting
manufacturing opportunities, such as the marine energy industries
emerging up and down the nation’s coast. We must make sure that
the regulatory environment supports rather holds back these new
ventures. So I wholeheartedly welcome this government initiative.”
James Cross, Chief Executive of the Marine Management
Organisation (MMO), said:
“The MMO welcomes the review and its efforts to work
constructively with businesses to reduce or simplify regulatory
burden wherever possible.”
The campaign allows comments to be posted anonymously as well
as ‘on the record’ and is also interested to learn of any evidence
that third parties are implying that regulations require companies
or individuals to take action when in fact the regulations do not
require this.
Join the conversation on Twitter using the #focusenforce hashtag.
The Focus on Enforcement website, for the first time, also
provides details on national regulators in one place and on
regulatory functions carried out by local authorities.
Notes to editors:
1. The Coastal investments and projects theme is now live on
the Focus on Enforcement website and can be found at: http://discuss.bis.gov.uk/focusonenforcement.
The site also gives individuals and businesses the opportunity to
suggest new areas for review of compliance and enforcement
arrangements, and to provide evidence on areas ‘in focus’. Users
of the website can also currently provide their feedback on their
experiences of pubs, in particular community pubs (until 17 August).
2. The focus of all these reviews is on the way regulation is
delivered and compliance is achieved – whether through
inspections, advice or enforcement – not about the regulations
themselves. A separate initiative – Red Tape Challenge – invites
the public, business and the voluntary and community sector to
give their views, comments and ideas on what regulations should
stay, be improved, or be scrapped altogether.
3. Each review starts with a 5-6 week evidence-gathering
phase.
4. In addition, the Focus on Enforcement website, for the
first time, provides details on national regulators, their remits
and regulatory budgets and staff resource in one place and
information is also provided on regulatory functions undertaken by
local authorities. (A large number of organisations play a part in
securing compliance with the law. They include national
regulators, local authorities, and bodies independent of
Government, some of which have statutory regulatory functions. The
list on the website is not exhaustive and details will continue to
be added and updated).
5. The scope of Coastal investments and projects encompasses:
Regulatory activity in England by national regulators and
local authorities which affects coastal investments and larger
projects on the coast. It will consider, amongst other things, the
interaction between different regulatory regimes. Its main focus
will be on any barriers to growth arising when projects are
affected by both land and sea-based regulation.
The review could include, but is not limited to
- on-shore regulatory activity related to off-shore renewable
energy generation infrastructure;
- port and estuary
development, including dredging;
- the interaction between
nature conservation regimes and coastal projects.
The review would also be interested to learn about:
- examples of effective, tailored and easy to understand
guidance and advice for businesses, and good regulatory delivery
that is risk-based, focused on achieving compliance and supporting
business growth.
- any issues encountered where third parties
are encouraging companies to undertake unnecessary compliance
activity eg. where regulation does not actually require something
to be done, but companies are led to believe it does.
The scope will exclude:
- Off-shore farming (eg salmon, mussels).
- We will not
be looking at issues related to housing, flooding or erosion
unless specifically related to coastal investments and projects
matters
- Other regulatory activity which is not unique to
coastal projects such as employment law, company law etc.
The review will avoid duplication of effort with other recent
or current reviews of similar subject matter.
“Regulatory activity” in this context includes action taken
by national regulators or officers of local authorities, including:
- The process for obtaining the range of consents, licences
and assessments (including those related to environmental and
safety issues) needed by companies seeking to operate on coastal
areas;
- the co-ordination and timing of these licences;
-
provision of advice on compliance with the law;
- inspections
of locations or equipment in order to satisfy regulatory
authorities of compliance with the law;
- requirements to make
formal applications, or provide information, in order to obtain
necessary permits;
- requirements to attend courses / obtain
particular qualifications;
- enforcement proceedings taken
against individuals or organisations in the event of failure to
comply with regulations. The review cannot consider comments on
specific cases unless all proceedings have finished, but can
consider general evidence in relation to enforcement proceedings.
6. The review will also seek to identify examples of
effective, tailored and easy to understand guidance and advice for
businesses, and good regulatory delivery that is risk-based,
focused on achieving compliance and supporting business growth.
7. The Marine Management Organisation (MMO) is one of the
regulators whose work will be considered by the review. MMO was
established under the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009 to make a
significant contribution to sustainable development in the marine
environment and to promote the government’s vision for clean,
healthy, safe, productive and biologically diverse oceans and
seas. The EEF is the Manufacturers’ Organisation, providing
support and representation to help manufacturing businesses
evolve, innovate and compete.
8. The Government's economic policy objective is to
achieve 'strong, sustainable and balanced growth that is
more evenly shared across the country and between
industries.' It set four ambitions in the ‘Plan for
Growth’ (PDF 1.7MB), published at Budget 2011:
- To create the most competitive tax system in the G20
-
To make the UK the best place in Europe to start, finance and grow
a business
- To encourage investment and exports as a route to
a more balanced economy
- To create a more educated workforce
that is the most flexible in Europe.
Work is underway across Government to achieve these
ambitions, including progress on more than 250 measures as part of
the Growth Review. Developing an Industrial Strategy gives new
impetus to this work by providing businesses, investors and the
public with more clarity about the long-term direction in which
the Government wants the economy to travel.
9. BIS's online newsroom contains the latest press
notices, speeches, as well as video and images for download. It
also features an up to date list of BIS press office contacts. See
http://www.bis.gov.uk/newsroom.
Contacts:
BIS Press Office
bispress.releases@bis.gsi.gov.uk
Aidan Steer
Phone: 020 7215 5245
aidan.steer@bis.gsi.gov.uk