Departmental Regulation
Environment Food and Rural Affairs

Simon Hart (Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire, Conservative)

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what progress her Department has made on the Red Tape Challenge; and which regulations have been (a) abolished and (b) revised as part of the Challenge.

Richard Benyon (Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Natural Environment and Fisheries), Environment, Food and Rural Affairs; Newbury, Conservative)

DEFRA is working hard to remove the burden on business of unnecessary and overcomplicated regulations through the Red Tape Challenge.

DEFRA was involved in the hospitality, food and drink theme, which was in the Red Tape Challenge 'spotlight' from 6 May to 2 June 2011. The agreed package of proposals was announced on 29 September 2011 and included a significant rationalisation of food labelling requirements. The full package is available online at:

www.redtapechallenge.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/2011/09/hospitality-food-and-drink-regulations

The DEFRA led environment theme has been open for comment on the Red Tape Challenge website since April 2011, and a 'spotlight' period took place in September 2011. The Government expect to announce its proposals on this theme by the end of March 2012. There are no plans to remove important environmental protections. Our aim is to make sure that our environmental policies are being implemented in the most effective ways possible and that, in order to comply with our regulations, businesses and individuals are not over-burdened by rules that make it more difficult to comply than is necessary.