Status International signs partnership to cut red tape
16 November 2010
Lighting and electrical company Status International has signed up to a groundbreaking scheme that will help the firm cut duplicated effort when complying with regulations.
It has formed a primary authority partnership with West Yorkshire Trading Standards Service covering fair trading and product safety. Primary Authority enables businesses to enter into a legal agreement with one local authority which will act as a single point of contact for local authorities across the country.
Peter McVeigh, Managing Director of Status International, said: "As a dedicated supplier to some of the largest supermarkets and retailers in the UK and Ireland, it has always been important to work closely with our local authority on matters of safety, legislation, guidance and other related matters.
"By signing the agreement to form a primary authority partnership, we feel that we can continue and strengthen our policy of delivering high quality, compliant and safe products to consumers. Our past working relationship with our local trading standards office has delivered, we feel, benefits to both parties."
And Graham Hebblethwaite, West Yorkshire Trading Standards Service's Chief Officer, said: "We are pleased that Primary Authority offers the opportunity to continue to provide advice and other support to minimise the regulatory burden on Status International.
"We are also pleased that Primary Authority allows West Yorkshire Trading Standards Service as a regulator the opportunity to publically recognise businesses as being committed to providing safe and fair products."
Business and Enterprise Minister Mark Prisk has asked LBRO, the technical expert in better local regulation who run Primary Authority, to examine options for strengthening the scheme with regard to inspection plans and for extending it to cover more areas of regulation.
There are now 424 partnerships covering 124 businesses, 29,000 premises, and 841,000 employees. A full, up to date list of partnerships and the regulations they cover are maintained on the LBRO website. Visit: www.lbro.org.uk/pa-public-listings.php
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