Government Call for Evidence on Smarter Regulation

The Government has published a call for evidence on smarter regulation and the regulatory landscape.

On 10 May 2023, the Government published an introductory report called “Smarter regulation to grow the economy.” That report set out the Government’s vision for regulation and committed to a set of regulatory reform announcements across the year to benefit business and drive innovation and growth.

The Government says that “When delivered effectively, regulation and the work of regulators plays a vital role in protecting consumers, the environment, and setting the right frameworks for businesses to thrive. Smarter regulation is about only using regulation where necessary, implementing it well, and ensuring its use is proportionate and future-proof.”

The smarter regulation programme has 3 core pillars:

1. minimising regulatory burdens and future-proofing regulations. This includes looking at domestic regulations and retained EU laws. Regulations that are not needed will be removed, while those that are needed should be proportionate, contemporary, and forward looking.
2. making regulation a last resort, not a first choice. Putting downward pressure on new regulation and deploying alternatives where possible.
3.  ensuring a well-functioning landscape of regulators. Making sure that regulators work well for the UK and are agile and outcome driven.

The consultation is aimed at both businesses and regulators. In relation to businesses, the Government wants to hear about your experiences of interacting with regulators, including your perceptions of regulatory complexity and costs, as well as benefits.

The full consultation can be found here and runs until 7 January 2024.