Clause 3 - Limitations on order-making power

Part of Regulatory Reform Bill [Lords] – in a Public Bill Committee at 5:00 pm on 27 March 2001.

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Photo of Graham Stringer Graham Stringer Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office) 5:00, 27 March 2001

I return to my point that any regulatory reform must have a deregulatory element. The hon. Gentleman's amendment states:

``there is a net reduction in the total burden on all those affected by the changes''.

If the regulatory regime applied to fire were rebalanced towards a risk-based regime, factories, offices and buildings at greater risk might have to be inspected more often. Higher fees might have to be paid and changes made to buildings to protect people. Overall, that could be a greater burden on businesses than before. Under the previous more even regime, other businesses might have faced a lower regulatory burden. I am not saying that it is simple to do the sum because we get into questions of apples and pears, but we will benefit from putting all the legislation in one place and making it easier to understand. I ask the hon. Gentleman to withdraw the amendment because it would require that

``there is a net reduction in the total burden on all those affected''.

If we changed the nature of that particular regime—I can give him other examples if he wants—some people would have a greater regulatory burden.