7 December 2007
Regulation – often derided as red tape – saves lives and arrests wrong-doing and criminality.
That’s the conclusion of a set of cogent essays in today’s SOLACE Foundation Imprint (SFI) series which argues strongly for better regulation and against hasty deregulation.
The pamphlet, edited by the Guardian’s David Walker, carries pieces from an impressive range of top regulators and regulation practitioners including Derek Allen, chief executive of Lacors, Geoffrey Podger CEO of the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and Prof. Bridget Hutter at the LSE.
Rather than barring progress with a mountain of red tape the contributors argue that regulation has been modernised and improved so that it is now proportionate, transparent, targeted, accountable and consistent. Improvement is needed and is continuing but as Clive Grace and Judith Hackitt of the Local Better Regulation Office and HSE say in the pamphlet’s foreword, “Regulation can help to create an efficient climate for business, advance social objectives and ensure environmental protection without creating unnecessary burdens.”
There is now they say “a real opportunity to drive home the message that regulation is not only core business for local government but also core to delivering outcomes that matter to people.
“It is also important that no one imagines that better regulation means removing necessary legislation and lowering health and safety standards. The deterioration in last year’s statistics* on both death and injuries in the workplace suggest that withdrawing regulation too quickly confirms that need for effective regulation that is intelligence-led and linked to targeted enforcement.
“David Walker has brought together an interesting and powerful range of contributions to illustrate the important and varied dimensions of modern regulation.”
Commenting on the publication Lord McKenzie, DWP Minister with responsibility for health and safety said, “We face a variety of challenges in delivering improved health and safety outcomes, not least in ensuring a sensible approach is taken by both employers in complying with law and in the enforcement of legislation by regulators. I welcome this series of articles and the variety of views expressed, they provide a valuable contribution to this important agenda.”
[ends]
Notes to Editors
1. * Full injury and death at work statistics available at: http://www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/overpic.htm
2. Lacors is the Local Authorities Coordinators of Regulatory Services
3. Judith Hackitt is the Chair of the Health and Safety Commission
2. SFI is the Imprint which will help to fill the gap between policy analysts and researchers, on the one hand, and practitioners on the other. It was set up in 2005 to commission innovative research, stimulating original thought, and incentivise excellent writing on public policy and management with a special emphasis on local government.
3. The full pdf of the pamphlet – Regulating right: regulation shows its better and local faces – is available at: http://www.solace.org.uk/asp/news_sfi.asp
Press contact: Graham Taylor 07958 932728
