This briefing paper presents the Committee with an overview of
regulatory reform, the background to the system and the recent work
that the National Audit Office had conducted in the area.
The role of the National Audit Office is to apply the unique
perspective of public audit to help Parliament and government drive
lasting improvement in public services. We have scrutinised and
reported on government efforts to reform regulation over the last
ten years.
This paper is not intended to provide an overall assessment of
regulatory reform but simply to illustrate, with examples, the
range of our work. It sets out:
- Current plans and developments in regulatory reform, in
addition to a brief background.
- The National Audit Office’s recent and ongoing work in the
area.
We have supported the Regulatory Reform Committee several times
in recent years. We have most recently provided assistance with the
Committee’s inquiry into Themes and Trends in Regulatory Reform,
for which we also provided a formal briefing paper. Since the
inquiry, we have provided a further paper on government efforts to
reduce bureaucracy on public sector frontline workers. The National
Audit Office will continue to support select committees in 2010-11,
supporting specific inquiries where our expertise and perspective
can add value.
October 2010