Simplifying two centuries of rules and regulations
15/12/09
The latest ‘map' has been produced providing a snapshot of just how many regulations we now have to comply with, and just how complex life has become over nearly two centuries of legislation.
LBRO, the public body for better local regulation, has produced a unique, comprehensive map of Britain's local regulatory landscape to support its key aim of simplifying and improving the system.
Among the first regulations on the books is the 1831 Game Act, dealing with the licensing of game sellers. There are now many more organizations making the rules, including the EU, and the system has evolved in complexity resulting in a tangled jungle of bureaucracy.
There are now more than a dozen national regulators and government departments, and over 400 local authorities delivering nearly 200 pieces of legislation that affect the quality of our lives.
The map informs all those working within the local regulatory system, providing them with context, and will be revised according to their comments and feedback. It shows the number of different policy outcomes, spanning better health, safer communities and fair trading, and these are delivered by different regimes, resulting in a complicated landscape.
Clive Grace, the Chairman of LBRO, said: "Everyone agrees that the system needs to be simplified. With increasing pressure on public finances, it has to run more efficiently and more effectively, so scarce resources can be used for the maximum benefit to business and the general public.
"Our ambition is shared by a coalition of national regulators, government departments and professional and representative bodies, and we are working hard to develop common approaches to reduce duplication and over administration."
Media enquiries: 0121 226 4019