12 December 2007, 17:15 PM
  • Cuts to red tape are saving UK businesses more than £800 million per year, according to a Government report released today.

The report - Delivering Simplification Plans - outlines more than 280 initiatives to tackle red tape. Covering 19 departments and agencies, it shows the Government is on target to hit its goal of saving businesses and the third sector over £3.5 billion in administrative costs by 2010.

Practical measures include the removal of the need for companies to hold an AGM, a faster process for planning consents, halving of the number of health and safety forms employers have to complete, and cutting of redundant licenses in a range of sectors. 

Secretary of state for the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, John Hutton, says, “Today’s plans demonstrate we are making significant headway on what is a difficult and challenging agenda. By tackling redundant regulations we are making a difference to the way people run their businesses.

“But we are not complacent. Government must continue to back up its proposals with credible action across all sectors. We are also outlining ways to tackle our new target to cut public sector bureaucracy by 30 percent by 2010 in public sector.”