The following has been supplied by the TUC:
The government has published a Bill that will build 'sunsetting clauses' into new regulations and that includes a presumption the laws will be scrapped unless a government department argues for their survival. The government also says the Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Bill will include measures for 'reducing inspection burdens on businesses of all sizes and increasing SME access to reliable, consistent advice on complying with regulations in areas such as trading standards, health and safety and environmental health.' Business secretary Vince Cable said: 'The measures in the Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Bill will help make Britain one of the most enterprise-friendly countries in the world. It will improve our employment tribunals, reform and strengthen competition enforcement, scrap unnecessary red tape and help ensure that people who work hard and do the right thing are rewarded.' When the Bill was flagged up in the Queen's speech earlier this month, a TUC spokesperson commented: 'Despite all the evidence, the government retains its obsession that businesses are over-inspected. Changes introduced last year mean that most employers will never have the benefit of a health and safety inspection unless they report a death or serious injury. This will mean employers will be both less likely to report injuries, and also will be less likely to take adequate measures to protect their workforce.' He warned: 'We are already seeing evidence that fatalities seem to be rising in many industries as businesses cut back on health and safety. If the government continues to give the message that good health and safety is a burden then this can only increase.' New research has confirmed that official inspection and enforcement has a positive and lasting effect on workplace safety, with no evidence of the burdens on business or job creation and retention claimed by the government.
