30 June 2006
Government departments are not doing enough to ensure they do not overburden businesses, charities and the public sector with red tape, government auditors said this week.
A National Audit Office report said the purpose of Regulatory Impact Assessments was not well understood within Whitehall. It also criticised persistent weaknesses in the assessments.
RIAs were introduced in 1998 to help policymakers measure the likely impact of regulation on the ground and are regarded as a key tool in delivering lighter regulation.
The NAO's third evaluation of RIAs, published on June 28, examined the extent to which RIA practice had been absorbed into departments' culture. Auditors found that, while there were some areas of good practice, most notably at the Department of Trade and Industry, others had been slow to improve the quality of RIAs and integrate them into the policymaking process.
Officials were urged to start the process earlier and ensure it becomes a key part of the policymaking process.
NAO head Sir John Bourn said: 'Although [RIAs] have been in use for several years, many are still failing to perform their intended function properly.
Departments must address the reasons why they have been slow at making improvements to the process of assessing the impact of regulation.'
The report calls on departments to challenge the way in which staff perceive and use RIAs, do more to disseminate good practice and give more information and training to policymakers.
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