PARLIAMENTARY WRITTEN QUESTION
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Public Bodies (18 January 2016)

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment she has made of the effects of the Small Business, Enterprise and Employment Act 2015 on the (a) Animal and Plant Health Agency, (b) Drinking Water Inspectorate, (c) Fish Health Inspectorate, Cefas, (d) Rural Payments Agency and (e) Veterinary Medicines Directorate.

Asked by:
Kerry McCarthy (Labour)

The Small Business, Enterprise and Employment Act 2015 creates a legal obligation on the Government of the day to publish a business impact target, covering the economic impact of new regulation on business and civil society organisations.

The Business Impact Target currently applies to legislation and regulatory activity undertaken by UK Ministers, including the activities of non-statutory regulators who exercise regulatory functions for or on behalf of UK Ministers. The Act also sets out reporting requirements to Parliament in relation to any qualifying regulatory provisions introduced by these bodies.

Answered by:
George Eustice (Conservative)
21 January 2016