Key sectors in red tape spotlight

The government has launched new reviews designed to slash red tape in five key industry sectors.

The reviews, announced by Business Secretary Sajid Javid announced on 16 July, are part of a government commitment to axe unnecessary regulation and its poor implementation by a further £10 billion by 2020.

They will focus on the energy, waste, agriculture, care homes and mineral extraction sectors and the government is appealing to businesses to highlight areas for change through the new Cutting Red Tape programme.

Mr Javid said: “For the first time, these reviews will look not only at the rules themselves but the way they are enforced. We want firms to tell us where red tape is holding them back and help us make Britain the best place in Europe to start and grow a business.”

Examples already highlighted by businesses in the sectors under review include agricultural businesses spending an estimated 1.7 million working hours a year complying with often duplicated information checks.

And waste businesses have said that regulators could respond better to innovation and by doing so help the sector to maximise opportunities to recycle or reuse material that could otherwise end up in landfill.

Link: The Cutting Red Tape website