Watchdog slams 'hidden menace' of red tape

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The government has come under fire for the layers of red tape faced by licensees and other small businesses. The Better Regulation Task Force (BRTF)...

The government has come under fire for the layers of red tape faced by licensees and other small businesses.

The Better Regulation Task Force (BRTF) has attacked the government accusing them of "over-zealous interpretation of regulation" in its latest report.

It identifies examples of unnecessary burdens licensees face including health and safety, food regulation and anti-money laundering regulations.

The red tape watchdog concludes that while progress has been made to meet the Principles of Good Regulation, a code that government departments and independent regulators are advised to use when considering possible legislation, it is still failing to cut down on red tape.

It report concludes that, while officials are using the code to a certain extent when considering new proposals and evaluating existing regulations, there is evidence that this good practice falls by the wayside when the regulation reaches the statute books.

David Arculus, BRTF chairman, said: "This regulatory creep is the hidden menace of red tape."

A poll on thePublican.com earlier in the year revealed that 92 per cent of licensees found red tape was causing problems for their business.

Kate Nicholls, who runs the industry's Red Tape Group, added: "The increasing amount of red tape is overwhelming businesses that are often operating at the margins of profitability.

"We have been pushing government for a 'sunset clause' - so when government departments put regulations in place, they exist for a specific number of years before being properly reviewed."

Such reviews are particularly important in light of the BRTF findings. It found a lack of clarity about the scope and intention of original regulation; what those being regulated need to do to comply; and the purpose and legal status of guidance.

Mike Steedman, licensee at the Anchor Inn, near Newport, Shropshire, said: "Why does the government feel the need to poke its nose in and make a fuss about every little thing? "It's hard enough with all the paperwork at the moment. When the new Licensing Act is in place we'll probably need a degree in form-filling to get through all the red tape."

Licensees have been warned recently that they have a limited amount of time to respond to the premises licence guidance under the new Licensing Act.

The guidance has been much criticised because of the amount of bureaucracy it involves.

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