Entrepreneurs Call For H&S Review

11 October 2010

Entrepreneurs want a Government review of health and safety laws to focus on removing the excessive bureaucracy stifling their businesses and threatening economic growth, according to the Forum of Private Business. Ahead of the Comprehensive Spending Review on 20 October, the Forum is arguing that reducing regulatory waste could help the Government cut the budget deficit and remove some of the annual £12bn per year that costs small businesses to comply with the law.

In all, 59 percent of respondents to the Forum's Health and Safety Member Panel survey are confident such a review will be beneficial - but almost one in five (18 percent) are sceptical that it will have any positive impact on reducing the burden of red tape. The remainder are unsure.

"We welcome any commitment to remove the barriers created by excessive health and safety laws, many of which appear to have little practical purpose and seem to be directed at large companies but tie up small firms in the process," said the Forum's research manager Tom Parry. "But many details of where the Government will focus its efforts have yet to be fully outlined. Having seen similar initiatives in the past, some small businesses we represent are understandably sceptical.

"But in the Comprehensive Spending Review we have a genuine opportunity. Our members have identified the real problems of health and safety they find most burdensome and we are suggesting positive ways of redressing the balance by removing red tape for the sake of efficiency and in order to free up entrepreneurship."

Tom Lee