APA meets Business Minister

Gareth Osborne, Director General of APA, met the Minster for Business, Ian Lucas MP, this week to discuss areas of concern to APA members and their Bosses. Also present were senior representatives of the Better Regulation Executive who shared their thoughts on ways to reduce the regulatory burden on businesses; especially small businesses, and their plans for the future.

The Minister stressed a desire to cut red tape and use regulation as a last resort in line with the EU Directive calling for a 25% reduction in bureaucratic process by 2012. Gareth asked for more attention to be paid to plain English explanations and less legalistic processes. The Minister agreed and cited his own personal preference for simple ‘How to’ Guides.

The Minister’s portfolio embraces responsibility for business sectors (aerospace; marine and defence, automotive; chemicals; construction; manufacturing, materials and engineering; retail; services), the Better Regulation Executive, better regulation within BIS, Olympic legacy, sustainable development and regulation including waste electrical and electronic equipment issues, Corporate Social Responsibility, third sector strategy and issues, corporate governance, Companies Act, Companies House, Insolvency Service (including companies investigations), export control. He was appointed Minister for Business and Regulatory Reform in the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills on 5 June 2009.

The Better Regulation Executive (BRE) was set up to play a lead role in driving through a programme of activities to simplify regulation. It works with Government departments and regulators to; Improve the design of new regulations and how they are communicated; Simplify and modernise existing regulations; and change attitudes and approaches to regulation to become more risk-based.

Any comments of the burden of red tape, please contact: gareth.osborne@paprofessional.com
To find details of the Better Regulation Executive: http://www.betterregulation.gov.uk/

APA