Regulatory Enforcement and Sanctions Act 2008

<p>The Bill is part of the Government's &lsquo;Better Regulation&rsquo; policy agenda which aims to improve and simplify the way legislation (on any subject) is made and enforced. </p><p>One aspect of this policy is a general principle that enforcement should focus on where the risks are greatest. This was the main proposal of the Hampton review in 2005. The creation of a Local Better Regulation Office was announced in the pre-Budget Report of December 2005 to implement some of the Hampton recommendations.</p><p><strong>Key areas</strong></p><ul><li>Converts the Local Better Regulation Office into a statutory non-departmental public body with various functions such as issuing guidance and supporting best practice by local authorities</li><li>Allows provision for a wider range of administrative sanctions to be applied for various criminal breaches, in order to give regulators more options and greater flexibility when imposing sanctions.</li><li>Provides a power to require regulators not to impose or maintain unnecessary regulatory burdens on businesses or individuals.</li></ul>