Labour hates bureaucracy, apparently
John Hutton, the UK business secretary, made a ‘major’ speech on consumer today in which he called upon business and consumer groups to “come forward with evidence that could inform the root and branch review of consumer law.”
Apparently, Hutton was startled to find that the law can be a tad convoluted at times and was particularly appalled at the burden this imposes on private enterprise.
“Developed over decades and comprising more than 100 different pieces of legislation, the UK’s current system offers high standards of protection for consumers,” said Hutton. “But its complexity makes it hard to understand and costs business an estimated £1.25 billion every year.”
“For example, we currently have specific rules for filling up coal bunkers and selling bird seed, imitation baby dummies and clothes with hood cords. It is clear that we must act to streamline these myriad rules to help consumers know and exercise their rights, cut red tape and target enforcement to weed out rogue traders.”
Here are the things Hutton would like your top tips on:
- Simplifying the law by replacing the 100-plus consumer laws with more flexible general rules to help reduce the burden on business
- Are there other significant costs for business which could be reduced?
- How to help consumers better understand their rights?
- Bringing together a small number of core consumer rights into a single Act of Parliament
- How to encourage swift and effective dispute resolution between business and consumers?
- Whether changes might be required to keep pace with technological developments like the internet?
- What changes would most help enforcement bodies target their resources on rogue traders or those that deliberately flout the law, and ensure that honest businesses do not carry unnecessary costs
Not content with merely asking everyone to pitch-in on drafting the law, the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR) has also commissioned IPSOS MORI to do a consumer survey.
“This survey, the first of its kind in the UK, will shine a light on unfair or anti-competitive behaviour and root out problem sectors or industries,” effused Hutton. “It will help consumers to make informed choices driving up standards and celebrating success. Sectors that are working well and treating their customers with respect deserve recognition but those who are not should be taken to task.”
In case there is any lingering doubt about the government’s loathing of unwieldy legislation and bureaucracy, BERR has created a website that announces “Life's too short to be bogged down by rules and regulations,” on its home page.
The government seems to be in a hurry on this as it has set a deadline for suggestions of 31st July, so you can be confident that your suggestions will be law before the end of the year. Click here to send them an email.
