Expansion and Extension for Primary Authority
7 December 2011
Primary Authority, the flagship scheme operated by LBRO (Local Better Regulation Office), is set to be expanded to enable more, smaller businesses to benefit; and extended to cover more areas of regulation.
The Government has outlined its intentions following the two-part Transforming Regulatory Enforcement consultation involving major business organisations, consumer groups, professional bodies and a broad cross-section of regulators.
There will be changes to Primary Authority in three areas: strengthening inspection plans to deliver earned recognition for business; allowing more organisations to participate, benefiting small business; and including specific policy areas which are currently out of scope.
LBRO Chief Executive Graham Russell said: "Primary Authority has come a long way, delivering tangible results for better regulation in a relatively short time. Seventy-one local authorities now support well over 400 businesses in partnerships covering around 46,400 premises and 1,190,000 employees.
"We welcome the Government's decision to make these changes and anticipate that more businesses and local authorities will wish to be involved in Primary Authority partnerships as regulators seek to offer the benefits of consistent and cost-effective advice to a wider range of businesses."
The Government's intention is to change the scheme regarding inspection plans, offering business the scope for better targeted and better quality inspections, and in some cases a significant reduction in the number of inspections. Local authorities will be freed to target scarce resources on high-risk organisations.
As evidence of the benefits of Primary Authority has spread, some businesses and organisations have commented that the current scheme is too restrictive and deters them from developing partnerships to manage compliance in a more efficient, consistent and cost-effective manner. The Government will change the law to extend the benefits of Primary Authority to other types of business, by working with franchises, company groups, small businesses and trade associations.
Protections for consumers will be improved as age-restricted products - knives and gambling - are set to be included under Primary Authority. Much of the drive for this has come from LBRO's Business Reference Panel, comprising major businesses and business organisations, which established a review group on age-restricted products. The result was a report: Better Regulation of Age-Restricted Products: A Retail View available on the LBRO web site.
LBRO is currently working with policy departments and BIS on extension of the legislative scope of Primary Authority and talking with national regulators on earned recognition.
LBRO Director, Sarah Smith, said: "In the context of challenging times for business as well as the public sector, we welcome the recognition of good work by some regulators to support business growth whilst protecting citizens.
"Our work with the professional bodies to produce a common framework for competency, which is highlighted in the government response, provides the means to promote the professional standards that lie at the heart of good regulation.
"Working with colleagues in the World Class Coalition, we will develop this approach as part of the Government's commitment to focus on the day to day experience of the way regulation is enforced."
NOTES TO EDITORS
The Local Better Regulation Office (LBRO) creates the conditions for cutting red tape for UK business and providing the right level of targeted protection for consumers, workers and the environment. LBRO is a catalyst within the regulatory landscape; using its unique relationships to energise all those involved in making regulation work for Britain, through Primary Authority and other simplification of the regulatory system. Its area of responsibility covers environmental health, trading standards, fire safety and licensing. LBRO currently operates within the remit of the Regulatory Enforcement and Sanctions Act 2008, as an executive non-departmental public body, accountable to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) through the Better Regulation Executive. It is proposed that LBRO's independent and technical expertise will be carried forward in the delivery of Primary Authority and other improvements to regulation, by a new streamlined and independent organisation within BIS. The proposals are subject to Parliamentary approval and the Government consulted on these plans earlier this year. LBRO is governed by an independent Board, has a staff of around 25 and is based in central Birmingham. Our remit covers the whole of the UK and we liaise closely with the devolved administrations to ensure our work in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland is appropriate.
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