DEPARTMENT FOR
BUSINESS, ENTERPRISE AND REGULATORY REFORM News Release issued by
The Government News Network on 23 July 2008
The Regulatory
Enforcement and Sanctions Bill, aimed at delivering better
regulation to businesses across the country, has received Royal Assent.
The Act creates a new body, the Local Better Regulation Office,
that will provide expert advice for central government on the way
that local authorities regulate and help ensure more consistent,
risk-based, application of regulation for businesses.
Regulators will also have access to a range of new powers that
will provide a more appropriate and efficient alternative to
criminal prosecution. The Act will create a provision to ensure
regulators do not impose or maintain unnecessary burdens on those
they regulate.
Business Minister Shriti Vadera said:
"The Regulatory Enforcement and Sanctions Act is a central
part of the Government's ambitious better regulation agenda.
"It aims to provide consistent enforcement and increase the
effectiveness of risk-based regulation across the country and ease
the burden for business."
The Regulatory Enforcement and Sanctions Act is the latest step
in the Government's Better Regulation agenda aimed at
improving regulation, achieving user-friendly and effective new
regulation and tackling inefficiencies in the way current
regulations are enforced.
The new Act is all part of a drive to cut the cost to business of
administering regulation by a quarter by 2010. The Government has
already cut an estimated £800 million of administrative burdens
from UK business.
1. The Act is delivering key recommendations of the Hampton
Hampton: http://www.berr.gov.uk/bre/inspection-enforcement/assessing-regulatory-system/page44042.html
and Macrory Reviews Macrory: http://www.berr.gov.uk/bre/reviewing-regulation/compliance-businesses/page44102.html
2. The Better Regulation Executive is taking forward the
Government's better regulation agenda. http://bre.berr.gov.uk/regulation/
3. Full details of the Regulatory Enforcement and Sanctions Act
2008, including Guidance to the Act can be found at: http://www.berr.gov.uk/bre/inspection-enforcement/implementing-principles/sanctions-bills/page44047.html