BMF Cutting through the Red Tape
Next Blog: Update from Murray Ellis
My team know more than anyone how much regulation
the industry has to endure; they have to monitor every idea that
pops into a Government Minister’s head and respond accordingly! For
the most part we’re able to add a business perspective to their
proposals but the statute book continues to grow, year after year.
The UK has over 21,000 statutory instruments that businesses need
to contend with and, In 2010 alone, the BMF responded to nearly 60
separate Government consultations on various issues; a rate of well
over one per week!
Small and medium sized companies like most of
our members, of course, continue to bear the brunt of these
regulations despite having the least resources with which to deal
with them. I’m sure you will agree with me that businesses across
the country are in need of a break and I’m pleased to say that
there now appears to be light at the end of the tunnel.
The Prime Minister recently announced the
launch of “The Red Tape Challenge”. This new campaign is asking the
public to identify regulation that is no longer relevant or places
unnecessary burdens on businesses. These proposals will then be
reviewed and Minister’s asked to justify why they should be kept;
if they can’t, they go (the regulation I mean... not the
Ministers). The timetable for the regulatory review does not give
us much time but we’re determined to make the most of the
opportunity:
- 6 May
Hospitality, food
and drink
- 2 June Fisheries,
marine enterprises and internal waterways
- 16 June Manufacturing
- 4 August Rail and merchant
shipping
We’re responding by auditing the regulation
that currently applies to the leisure, superyacht and small
commercial marine sector. This is no small task and we’ll be
working hard to ensure we cover every angle. That said, we need
members to nominate regulation that affects their bottom line.
Unfortunately, there is nothing the Government can do about
European Directives which are outside the scope of this review
(although if UK legislation goes beyond the European minimums,
known as gold-plating, then there could be a case to answer), but
everything else is potentially up for grabs. For example, we’re
already looking at some of the rules surrounding water supply and
their disproportionate impact on marine businesses.
Given the scale of this work, we have setup a
dedicated e-mail address for you to report any regulation that
causes your business problems: redtape@britishmarine.co.uk.
We also need you to make your views known directly to the
Government by visiting http://www.redtapechallenge.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/
Next Blog: Update from Murray Ellis