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09 October 2012 - BIS
A package of measures to
help cut unnecessary red tape and take steps towards creating the right
conditions for businesses to grow, were announced today, as new
amendments to the Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Bill were published.
The proposals to free up business include:
- removing
automatic liability on business for civil damages in health and safety
cases, when they are not found negligent;
- exempting
intermediary companies from the Estate Agents Act, to encourage new
businesses to flourish;
- simplifying
entry procedures into bankruptcy by removing the court process when it
is not needed, saving individuals, Government and businesses time and
money; and
- protecting
individuals, by providing guidance and a legal defense, from committing
the criminal cartel offence.
Business Minister, Jo Swinson, said:
“Clearing away barriers to help businesses grow and invest is
an essential part of the Government’s plan for growth.
“The Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Bill will help
strengthen the business environment and boost confidence, by sweeping
away needless bureaucracy and out-of-date rules.”
Today’s package of amendments also contains reforms to
planning consents for listed buildings, making the process more
straight forward, and to equalities measures, including removing
employer liability for third party harassment.
The amendments are published ahead of the Bill’s report stage
and third reading in the House of Commons, taking place on 16 and 17
October.
The Bill concluded its Committee stages just before summer
recess. Once it has completed Report stage and third reading it will
transfer to the House of Lords.
Subject to Parliamentary approval, the Bill will introduce a
significant range of measures that will help support growth, including
overhauling the employment tribunal system, improving the effectiveness
and efficiency of the competition regime and reducing the burden of
regulation on businesses through the Primary Authority scheme.
Notes
- The measures published today will predominantly form part
of Section 5 of the Bill, which deals with the reduction of legislative
burdens. Details on all of the amendments can be found here: http://discuss.bis.gov.uk/enterprise-bill/
- The text of the amendments will be made available later in
October here: http://services.parliament.uk/bills/2012-13/enterpriseandregulatoryreform.html
- Among the amendments published today is a measure to enable
individuals wishing to apply for their own bankruptcy to do so directly
to a new Adjudicator rather than through the court. This will free up
court resources, allowing judicial time to be focused on resolving
disputes. The new process will be cheaper to administer than the
current system, and will make it clear that bankruptcy is not a
decision to be taken lightly. The measure follows a Government
consultation last year which looked at proposals to remove both debtor
and creditor petitions for bankruptcy, and most company winding-up
petitions, from the courts. There was little support for reform to the
creditor bankruptcy or company petition process.
- The amendment on the criminal cartel offence was developed
following an Opposition amendment raised during the Committee stage of
the Bill.
- A number of the repeal amendments published today were
prompted by the Government’s Red Tape Challenge. The Red Tape Challenge
was launched by the Prime Minister in April 2011 and is systematically
examining some 6,500 substantive regulations that the Government
inherited with the aim of scrapping or significantly reducing as many
of them as possible. It gives business and the public the chance to
have their say, by theme, on the regulations that affect their everyday
lives. It has also asked the public what red tape holds back Disruptive
Business Models and Civil Society Organisations. The Government
announced on 10 September 2012 that at least 3,000 of the regulations
examined will be scrapped or reduced. More information on Red Tape
Challenge is at www.redtapechallenge.cabinetoffice.gov.uk
About the Author
© Crown Copyright. Material taken from the BIS Department for Business, Innovation and Skills. Reproduced under the terms and conditions of the Click-Use Licence.
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Article Published/Sorted/Amended on Scopulus 2012-10-10 12:26:44 in Business Articles
