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10 Jan 2008 : Column 776W—continued
The Government have also announced gross reductions in the policy costs that arise from complying with regulations, such as paying licence fees or purchasing new equipment. Details of the annual reductions delivered to date, and forecast to May 2010, have been provided in the following table 2.
| Table 2 | |
| Policy savings (£ million) | |
More information can be found at:
Gordon Banks: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what progress has been made in developing methods to measure the impact of regulatory burden reduction in those areas identified by the National Audit Office as non-quantified irritation factors. [176966]
Mr. McFadden: The Government regularly consult with business and others on the areas of regulation they believe are most burdensome and key 'irritants'. Departmental simplification plans published in December 2007 and December 2006 include details of regulations identified as such, and how these will be addressed.
BERR consults stakeholders both formally and informally in the development of policy to ensure their concerns, including regulatory irritants, are taken into account.
In addition, representatives of business, consumer and employee organisations participate in the oversight of BERR's better regulation programme as well as contributing their views to the individual projects which make up our simplification plan. This helps to ensure that we are addressing those issues that are of most concern to our stakeholders.
Gordon Banks: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what progress has been made by the Better Regulation Executive in working with industry to reduce regulatory burdens. [176967]
Mr. McFadden: To ensure the Better Regulation Executive understands the regulatory issues facings those in the private, public and third sectors a visits programme has been established where staff at all levels see first hand how those being regulated are impacted by regulation and seek their ideas for change.
The Better Regulation Executive also created a website
to enable those in the; private, public or third sectors to submit ideas on how regulations, or the guidance surrounding them, could be improved. Both ideas submitted and Governments responses are posted online within 90 days.
The administrative burdens reduction programme, the drive to reduce data burdens on the public sector front line, improving inspection and enforcement and other better regulation initiatives are the result of close working between the Better Regulation Executive, Government departments, regulators and those being regulated. An update on progress on better regulation can be found at:
Gordon Banks: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many businesses his Department has consulted to identify areas for potential regulatory burden reduction in the last 12 months. [176968]
Mr. McFadden: BERR conducts extensive formal and informal consultation of business across the full range of its activities.
Ministers and officials regularly meet a wide range of individual businesses and business representative organisations and the Department uses a range of consultation techniques—including business surveys and advisory groups, in addition to formal consultations—to gather the views of business including on better regulation.
Hundreds of businesses and business organisations have contributed their views in these ways to the Department in the last 12 months.
Gordon Banks: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (1) what steps his Department is taking to determine the effects of reductions in regulatory burdens on businesses of all sizes; [176970]
(2) by what means his Department assesses the effectiveness of reductions in regulatory burdens on businesses arising from initiatives by Government. [176991]
Mr. McFadden: In May 2007 Government introduced the revised impact assessment process that aims to improve clarity and transparency of new regulations, including new requirements to summarise both the rationale for Government intervention and evidence supporting the final proposal. This has increased the focus on both the costs and benefits associated with regulation, with the strengthened ministerial declaration used to bolster the quality of the analysis further supported by improved arrangements within departments.
The revised impact assessment process has also placed greater weight on post implementation reviews, which are used to establish whether implemented regulations are having the intended effect and whether they are implementing policy objectives efficiently.
The Small Firm Impact Test (SFIT) is also a key element of this revised process. The SFIT enables policy makers to consider the impact that future policy may have on small business, and encourages examining at the earliest stages of policy design whether small businesses can be given a "complete or partial" exemption from new rules. Government are committed to creating new regulation only where it is needed, and that annual costs to micro, small and medium size businesses are quantified.
Gordon Banks: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (1) by what mechanisms his Department measures the effectiveness of the means by which businesses are made aware of changes to regulation; [176971]
(2) what steps his Department is considering to improve the means by which businesses are (a) made
aware of and (b) advised on matters relating to changes in regulation. [176972]
Mr. McFadden: On the 7 of January Government published a consultation document on a Code of Practice on Good Guidance on Regulation. The Code outlines golden rules of good guidance which set the standards businesses and third sector organisations can expect from guidance on regulations. The consultation will run until the 31 of March to give businesses and others time to give their views on what the Code should contain.
To reduce the burden of changing regulations for business, the majority of changes affecting business come into force on two dates (Common Commencement Dates). In October 2007 for the first time, simple, easy to understand guidance was produced with the help of business to support the changes taking effect and communicated to businesses via the Business Link website (www.businesslink.gov.uk) and business and professional organisations. Business can also sign up on the Business Link website for email alerts informing them of forthcoming regulations.
In addition, the Department publishes on its website an annual statement of forthcoming legislation where we provide details of all legislation for which BERR is responsible due to enter into force in the next 12 months.
Farmers: Bankruptcy
Mr. Jamie Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many farmers in Copeland have declared bankruptcy over the last 20 years. [175941]
Mr. McFadden: The closest available estimates for bankruptcies among farmers are the numbers of bankruptcy orders made under the category “agriculture and horticulture” according to the Insolvency Trade Classification (ITC). The following table provides the numbers of such cases for England and Wales as a whole, which are available from 1990 onwards.
The ITC is not consistent with the Standard Industrial Classification (SIC), which is used to classify businesses held on the Companies Register by Companies House, and elsewhere. Additionally, a bankruptcy order would only cover those business insolvencies among sole traders (and some partnerships) not among registered companies, which would be the subject of a company liquidation. It is not, therefore, possible to provide estimates of the proportions of farmers becoming bankrupt. Bankruptcy statistics for the period covered are classified regionally according to the locations and areas of responsibility of Official Receivers' (ORs') offices, each of which covers a number of courts having insolvency jurisdiction, and are not directly comparable with administrative geographies, such as government office regions or districts. Additionally, statistics broken down by both detailed industry and regionally are not readily available.
Fisheries: Bankruptcy
Mr. Jamie Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what proportion of commercial fishermen in (a) England, (b) the north-west and (c) Copeland have been declared bankrupt over the last 20 years. [175939]
Mr. McFadden: The closest available estimates for bankruptcies among fishermen are the numbers of trader bankruptcy orders made under the category “forestry and fishing” according to the Insolvency Trade Classification (ITC). The following table provides the numbers of such cases for England and Wales as a whole, which are available from 1992 through to September 2006.
The ITC is not consistent with the Standard Industrial Classification (SIC), which is used to classify businesses held on the Companies Register by Companies House, and elsewhere. Additionally, a bankruptcy order would, only cover those business insolvencies among sole traders (and some partnerships) not among registered companies, which would be the subject of a company liquidation. It is not, therefore, possible to provide estimates of the proportions of fishermen becoming bankrupt. Bankruptcy statistics for the period covered are classified regionally according to the locations and areas of responsibility of official receivers' (ORs’) offices, each of which covers a number of courts having insolvency jurisdiction, and are not directly comparable with administrative geographies, such as government office regions or districts. Additionally, statistics broken down by both detailed industry and regionally are not readily available.
Post Offices: Closures
Mr. Vara: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what effect the Review of the Postal Services Sector announced in his written ministerial statement of 17 December will have on the most recently announced round of post office closures currently being consulted upon; and if he will make a statement. [175828]
Mr. McFadden: The Review of the Postal Services Sector will look at developments in the mails market. It has not been set up to look at the future of the post office network or the current round of consultations on post office closures. The Government have already agreed a funding package of some £1.7 billion to support the post office network up to 2011.
Post Offices: Peterborough
Mr. Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (1) what the staffing establishment was at the main post office in Church Street, Peterborough, on 31 December (a) 2004, (b) 2005 and (c) 2006; [177149]
(2) how many people used the main post office at Church Street, Peterborough, on average per day in each year since 2001; [177150]
(3) how many branch post offices there were operating within (a) two, (b) three and (c) four miles of the main post office at Church Street, Peterborough as at 30 November 2007. [177158]
Mr. McFadden [holding answer 9 January 2008]: This is an operational matter for Post Office Ltd (POL). I have therefore asked Alan Cook, Managing Director of POL, to reply direct to the hon. Member. I will place copies of the letter in the Libraries of the House.
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