WIREDGOV

The Government and the Health and Safety Executive are calling for the people of Wales to give their thoughts on red tape.

The Red Tape Challenge is seeking views about regulations from the public, business and others like industry bodies and volunteers. The contributions to the Red Tape Challenge will draw on the experience and ideas of those businesses and members of the public who deal with regulation every day.

Health and Safety regulation is one of six cross-cutting themes on the Red Tape Challenge website and the public will be able to give comments on health and safety throughout the whole of the Red Tape Challenge campaign. But, from 30 June 2011 there will be a special three-week focus on health and safety regulation to encourage people to get involved and have their say.

Comments received will provide the Government with a clear picture of how regulations are perceived and will help them decide which regulations should stay, which change, and which go entirely.

Geoffrey Podger, HSE's Chief Executive, said:

"The Red Tape Challenge is an ideal opportunity for people to give their views on health and safety regulation and we hope people get involved in the debate.

"The Health and Safety Executive is committed to protecting people from genuine risk and ensuring businesses don't face unnecessary bureaucracy.

"This is a genuine consultation which will capture the views of people who are affected by health and safety regulations. We want to hear from all those with an interest with the aim of simplifying health and safety and making it more effective and proportionate for the benefit of business and the workforce of Britain."

All health and safety regulations will be available for comment on the site, under the following four areas:

• general health and safety
• major hazard industries
• higher risk workplaces
• dealing with hazardous chemicals and materials

If you have an opinion, get online between 30 June and 21 July 2011. Visit http://www.redtapechallenge.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/home/index ¹ or search online for Red Tape Challenge. The Red Tape Challenge was launched by the Prime Minister on 7 April 2011.

Notes to editors

1. The Health and Safety Executive is Britain's national regulator for workplace health and safety. It aims to prevent death, injury and ill health. It does so through research, information and advice, promoting training, new or revised regulations and codes of practice, and working with local authority partners by inspection, investigation and enforcement.
2. The Red Tape Challenge was launched by the Prime Minister on 7 April, giving the public a chance to have their say on the more than 21,000 regulations that affect their everyday lives.
3. The first five themes of the Red Tape challenge campaign are:
   • Retail (in the spotlight from April 7);
   • Hospitality, food and drink (in the spotlight from May 6);
   • Road transportation (in the spotlight from May 19/20);
   • Equalities (in the spotlight from 9 June); and
   • Health and Safety (in the spotlight from 30 June)
4. The campaign will also have six cross cutting themes that affect all businesses and are open throughout the whole of the campaign. The six cross cutting themes are:
   • Employment law;
   • Pensions;
   • Company law;
   • Equalities;
   • Health and Safety; and
   • Environment legislation.
5. The Government has established an Independent Review of Health and Safety legislation to make proposals for simplifying the existing raft of health and safety legislation. This review - under the chairmanship of leading risk management specialist Professor Ragnar Löfstedt - is due to make recommendations to ministers by Autumn 2011. Suggestions made by the public will also be considered by the Lofstedt review.
6. The Government's plan for growth is available at: http://cdn.hm-treasury.gov.uk/2011budget_growth.pdf ²

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