When the Coalition Government came to power in 2010 they vowed to reduce excessive legislation in order to reduce the bureaucratic and cost burdens to business. They introduced the Red Tape Challenge (RTC) - this aimed to scrap or improve rules across a range of areas - www.redtapechallenge.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/themehome/rtc-themes-2/.
In relation to health and safety (H&S) rules and regulations
the government has focused on regulations identified in reports by
Lord Young and Professor Löfstedt. The reviews found that too
often businesses, in particular SMEs, felt they must go beyond what
health and safety law required.
A progress report on the implementation and recommendations made
by Professor Löfstedt was published in February 2014 and noted
that action had been completed on 17 of the 22 H&S issues
addressed in the review. Further changes to H&S regulations and
the way the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) operates will be
introduced in the Deregulation Bill. The bill has been voted
through the House of Commons and was debated in the House of Lords
in October 2014.
Nabarro is conducting a nation-wide survey of businesses to find
if the Government has reached its aims to reduce regulatory burden
in H&S and whether industry has felt the benefits. The findings
of the survey will be compiled in a report and will be launched at
events in Sheffield and London in February 2015. Responses will
remain anonymous, unless you indicate that we can use your name and
your comments at the end of the survey. Please click here to access the survey.
Please be kind enough to spend approximately five minutes
answering the questions. If you are not the right person to
complete this survey, we would be grateful if you could forward it
onto a colleague.
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