Govt 'on course' to cut red tape

John Hutton: Red tape cuts saving £800m

Tuesday, 11, Dec 2007 12:00

The government claims to be pushing ahead with its pledge to reduce red tape for businesses and third-sector organisations.

John Hutton, secretary of state for business, enterprise and regulatory reform (BERR), said today the government is on course to meet its target to cut administrative costs for businesses by £3.5 billion by 2010.

Already, he said, the number of health safety forms has been halved after a review found repetition. The government has also cut redundant licences across a range of sectors, dropped the law that requires companies to hold an AGM and sped up the planning consents process.

Specific measures have also seen the length of the average Ofsted inspection fall from five to two days, relieving pressure on public sector workers, and police officers are saving an average of an hour a day thanks to handheld data devices.

Mr Hutton said: "Today's plans demonstrate we are making significant headway on what is a difficult and challenging agenda.

"By tackling redundant regulation we are making a difference to the way people run their businesses and in their everyday lives."

The government estimates cuts achieved so far are saving £800 million a year for businesses and third-sector organisations.

Today's report, entitled Delivering Simplification Plans, outlines how this has been achieved through more than 280 government initiatives.

Mr Hutton added: "But we are not complacent. Government must continue to back up its proposals with credible action across all sectors.

"We are also outlining ways to tackle our new target to cut public sector bureaucracy by 30 per cent by 2010 in public sector."