The Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills and President of the Board of Trade (Sajid Javid)
I wish to inform the House of a change regarding the future of the National Measurement and Regulation Office.
The National Measurement and Regulation Office has responsibility for simplifying technical regulation for the benefit of British businesses through its legal metrology, hallmarking, technical services and enforcement activities.
The National Measurement and Regulation Office currently operates as an Executive agency and is sponsored by the Better Regulation Delivery Office, a directorate within the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.
Over the last 12 months, the National Measurement and Regulation Office has worked closely with the Better Regulation Delivery Office to improve the regulatory environment, saving money for business and the state, reducing burdens and improving outcomes.
I wish to take this further by bringing the work of the National Measurement and Regulation Office and the Better Regulation Delivery Office together into a single combined directorate—the Regulatory Delivery directorate.
The National Measurement and Regulation Office will cease to operate as an executive agency from the 31 March 2016. The functions and staff of the National Measurement and Regulation Office will transfer to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.
The new Regulatory Delivery directorate will report to the Minister for Small Business, Industry and Enterprise. It will operate as a regulatory centre of excellence, ensuring that the way regulation is enforced is proportionate and risk based. It will support British business, ensuring there is the right protection, confidence and equity for businesses as well as simplifying a complicated regulatory landscape.
The new directorate will deliver existing functions of the National Measurement and Regulation Office and the Better Regulation Delivery Office, such as primary authority, better business for all, metrology, hallmarking policy, technical and enforcement work.
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