The UK Government has issued an open call for evidence asking for examples of where UK regulation inhibits growth, innovation and investment. This is a good opportunity for businesses to make the case for Government to look again at aspects of law or regulation which may be well-intentioned, but are disproportionate in their effects. The aim is to "reduce the administrative burdens of regulation on business by 25%". But time is short – the call for evidence closes on 16 December 2025.
Will anything really happen if you respond?
Previous Governments have launched similar initiatives to "cut red tape", few of which have proven notably successful – so a degree of scepticism is probably justified. However, whilst we can't rule out a similar outcome here, there are some grounds for greater optimism:
- First and foremost, the economic backdrop of relatively slow growth provides a strong incentive for Government to act on areas of regulatory reform that would be likely to make a material difference (see our comments below on making a convincing case for Government to act).
- Secondly, previous initiatives tended to focus on removal of regulation altogether – which is rarely a realistic option, because, as the current call for evidence recognises, there are often very good reasons why regulation exists. The focus this time around appears to be more on how business is regulated – or, to put it another way, whether similar outcomes can be delivered but with a "lighter touch" in terms of the burdens imposed.
- Finally, although the target of a 25% reduction in business burdens is extremely ambitious, there's almost no prospect of it being met if the Government simply ignores almost all the responses to this consultation exercise.
