The Government has launched its ‘Red Tape Challenge’ website, which allows businesses and the public to vote for regulations which they think should be scrapped. The challenge aims to examine over 21,000 statutory rules and regulations currently active in the UK, focusing on regulations that the Government considers to place the biggest burdens on businesses and society. The website will operate until April 2013.
Every few weeks the Government will publish all the regulations affecting one specific sector or industry. Employment regulations can be found under the ‘general regulations’ as they ‘affect all sectors’. The site explains “How it works”: 1. We publish: Every few weeks we publish all the regulations affecting one specific sector or industry; 2. You respond: You tell us what’s working and what’s not, what can be simplified and what can be scrapped; 3. We act: Based on your feedback, we start getting rid of unnecessary red tape.
The current challenge is the retail sector. From 7 April to 5 May the site is open for thoughts on regulation in the retail sector and how the Government can cut it. One aspect relating to employment is the Government asking for views as to whether the regulations which relate to the hours that retailers are allowed to open on Sundays and on Christmas Day, which restrict larger shops to a maximum of 6 hours trading, should be scrapped altogether.
At the end of the three-month review following each sector, departments will set out which regulations will be repealed and by when. For those regulations that are going the Government will aim to repeal them as quickly as possible. The site confirms that EU regulations cannot be scrapped, but the the Government will review any instances of ‘gold-plating’ – where the UK has gone beyond the minimum required by the EU legislation.
This provides summary information and comment on the subject areas covered. Where employment tribunal and appellate court cases are reported, the information does not set out all of the facts, the legal arguments presented and the judgments made in every aspect of the case. Employment law is subject to constant change either by statute or by interpretation by the courts. While every care has been taken in compiling this information, we cannot be held responsible for any errors or omissions. Specialist legal advice must be taken on any legal issues that may arise before embarking upon any formal course of action.
