Regulatory Reform Act 2001 Explanatory Notes

ANNEX B: LIST OF DEREGULATION ORDERS

Note: paragraphs 9, 10, 62, 72 and 121 of the Explanatory Notes refer.

1.The Deregulation (Greyhound Racing) Order 1995 (SI No. 1995/3231) permitted inter-track betting for greyhound racing. Estimated to increase the greyhound industry's gross income by £2-3 million a year.

2.The Deregulation (Building Societies) Order 1995 (SI No. 1995/3233) contained a number of measures, including increasing to 50% the percentage limit on societies' non-retail funds. Estimated to save the industry £400,000 a year for each point the wholesale interest rate is below the retail interest rate.

3.The Deregulation (Fair Trading Act 1973) (Amendment) (Merger Reference Time Limits) Order 1996 (SI No. 1996/345) shortened deadlines for referring mergers to the Director General of Fair Trading.

4.The Deregulation (Restrictive Trade Practices Act 1976) (Amendment) (Variation of Exempt Agreements) Order 1996 (SI No. 1996/346) removed the requirement for advance clearance by the Director General of Fair Trading of variations to certain agreements. Estimated to save industry £100,000 a year.

5.The Deregulation (Restrictive Trade Practices Act 1976) (Amendment) (Time Limits) Order 1996 (SI No. 1996/347) simplified time limits for notification of agreements to the Director General of Fair Trading.

6.The Deregulation (Corn Returns Act 1882) Order 1996 (SI No. 1996/848) allowed exemptions to the requirement for purchasers of corn to make weekly returns. Estimated to save the industry £100,000 a year.

7.The Deregulation (Length of School Day) Order 1996 (SI No. 1996/951) removed restrictions on the procedure for changing the length of the school day.

8.The Deregulation (Special Hours Certificates) Order 1996 (SI No. 1996/977) introduced provisional special hours licensing certificates.

9.The Deregulation (Friendly Societies Act 1992) Order 1996 (SI No. 1996/1188) contained a number of measures, including removing some regulatory and accounting requirements for friendly societies.

10.The Deregulation (Credit Unions) Order 1996 (SI No. 1996/1189) contained a number of measures, including extending the maximum amount that members of credit unions can borrow and hold in shares.

11.The Deregulation (Salmon Fisheries (Scotland) Act 1868) Order 1996 (SI No. 1996/1211(S.122)) permitted the sale of farmed salmon roe. Estimated to give the Scottish salmon industry access to markets worth £12 million a year.

12.The Deregulation (Long Pull) Order 1996 (SI No. 1996/1339) abolished the "long pull" offence, which prohibited publicans from serving more alcohol than requested.

13.The Deregulation (Gaming Machines and Betting Office Facilities) Order 1996 (SI No. 1996/1359) contained a number of measures, including permitting jackpot machines to give all-cash prizes (rather than just tokens) and permitting a greater number of gaming machines in casinos and bingo clubs. Estimated to save the industry £7 million a year through reduced fraud and administration.

14.The Deregulation (Resolutions of Private Companies) Order 1996 (SI No. 1996/1471) removed the requirement for private companies to consult auditors in written resolution procedures.

15.The Deregulation (Parking Equipment) Order 1996 (SI No. 1996/1553) abolished the requirement for type approval of parking control equipment. Estimated to save central and local government £70,000 a year in administration costs.

16.The Deregulation (Gun Barrel Proving) Order 1996 (SI No. 1996/1576) allowed Proof Houses (which prove and mark civilian small arms) to set their own prices.

17.The Deregulation (Motor Vehicles Tests) Order 1996 (SI No. 1996/1700) allowed a car’s first MOT certificate to run for 13 months. Estimated to save the public over £3 million a year.

18.The Deregulation (Industrial and Provident Societies) Order 1996 (SI No. 1996/1738) contained a number of measures, including aligning the audit requirement thresholds for industrial and provident societies with those of private companies. Estimated to save £3 million a year.

19.The Deregulation (Wireless Telegraphy) Order 1996 (SI No. 1996/1864) abolished the requirements for TV dealers to hold TV licences and to register with the BBC. Estimated to save TV dealers £10,000 a year.

20.The Deregulation (Building) (Initial Notices and Final Certificates) Order 1996 (SI No. 1996/1905) reduced paperwork requirements and restrictions for approved building inspectors. Estimated to reduce approved building inspectors’ costs by up to £61,000 a year.

21.The Deregulation (Insurance Companies Act 1982) Order 1996 (SI No. 1996/2102) contained a number of measures, including abolishing the requirement for production of five yearly statements of business and permitting annual returns to be made electronically. All measures taken together estimated to save the industry £6 million every five years.

22.The Deregulation (Slaughterhouses Act 1974 and Slaughter of Animals (Scotland) Act 1980) Order 1996 (SI No. 1996/2235) contained a number of measures, including removing duplicatory requirements for the licensing of slaughterhouses. Estimated to save the industry £100,000 a year.

23.The Deregulation (Still-Birth and Death Registration) Order 1996 (SI No. 1996/2395) permitted notification of death to any registrar (not just the registrar in the locality where the death occurred). Estimated to produce few monetary savings but to reduce the emotional burden significantly.

24.The Deregulation (Bills of Exchange) Order 1996 (SI No. 1996/2993) contained a number of measures including permitting the electronic presentation of cheques. Estimated to save the banking industry £30 million a year.

25.The Deregulation (Rag Flock and other Filling Materials Act 1951) (Repeal) Order 1996 (SI No. 1996/3097) repealed the 1951 Act. Estimated to save the upholstering industry £8,000 a year in compliance costs.

26.The Deregulation (Casinos) Order 1997 (SI No. 1997/950) reduced the required time lapse between a new member of a casino club joining the club and being permitted to participate in gaming and allowed special hours certificates to be issued for casinos.

27.The Deregulation (Employment in Bars) Order 1997 (SI No. 1997/957) permitted people aged under 18 on approved apprenticeship schemes to serve in bars.

28.The Deregulation (Gaming on Sunday in Scotland) Order 1997 (SI No. 1997/941 (S.83)) brought Sunday opening hours for bingo clubs and casinos in Scotland into line with those in England & Wales.

29.The Deregulation (Betting Licensing) Order 1997 (SI No. 1997/947) extended the validity of betting office licences. Estimated to save the industry £450,000 a year.

30.The Deregulation (Validity of Civil Preliminaries to Marriage) Order 1997 (SI No. 1997/986) allowed bookings for weddings at registry offices to be made up to twelve months in advance instead of only three.

31.The Deregulation (Occasional Permissions) Order 1997 (SI No. 1997/1133) increased from four to twelve the number of occasional permissions to sell alcohol available each year to non-profit making organisations.

32.The Deregulation (Provision of School Action Plans) Order 1997 (SI No. 1997/1142) permitted failing schools to issue a summary of the statement of their proposed action to all parents, rather than issuing the full statement.

33.The Deregulation (Football Pools) Order 1997 (SI No. 1997/1073) removed the restriction on pools betting on midweek football matches.

34.The Deregulation (Betting and Bingo Advertising etc.) Order 1997 (SI No. 1997/1074) removed some advertising restrictions on bingo clubs.

35.The Deregulation (Casinos and Bingo Clubs: Debit Cards) Order 1997 (SI No. 1997/1075) allowed debit cards to be used in casinos and bingo clubs.

36.The Deregulation (Non-Fossil Fuel) Order 1997 (SI No. 1997/1185) allowed suppliers of electricity other than that which is connected to the national grid to qualify for the Fossil Fuel Levy.

37.The Deregulation (Public Health Acts Amendment Act 1907) Order 1997 (SI No. 1997/1187) removed duplicatory requirements for licensing of pleasure boats.

38.The Deregulation (Licence Transfers) Order 1998 (SI No. 1998/114) streamlined licence transfer procedures.

39.The Deregulation (Deduction from Pay of Union Subscriptions) Order 1998 (SI No. 1998/1529), also known as the Check Off Order, removed the need for 3-yearly re-authorisation of deduction of trade union subscriptions from pay.

40.The Deregulation (Methylated Spirits Sale By Retail) (Scotland) Order 1998 (SI No. 1998/1602 (S.87)) removed requirements imposed on retailers selling methylated spirits in Scotland.

41.The Deregulation (Exchangeable Driving Licences) Order 1998 (SI No. 1998/1917) recognised some non-UK driving licences as valid for the purposes of driving in the UK.

42.The Deregulation (Taxis and Private Hire Vehicles) Order 1998 (SI No. 1998/1946) permitted holders of Northern Ireland driving licences to be granted a licence to drive a private hire vehicle or taxi in England (excluding London) and Wales, putting them on an equal footing with holders of Great Britain and European driving licences.

43.The Deregulation (Weights and Measures) Order 1999 (SI No. 1999/503) allowed self verification of weighing and measuring equipment by manufacturers, installers and repairers.

44.The Deregulation (Pipe-lines) Order 1999 (SI No. 1999/742) removed the need for consent of the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions for certain matters relating to the construction of pipe-lines.

45.The Deregulation (Casinos) Order 1999 (SI No. 1999/2136) reduced further the required time lapse between a new member of a casino club joining the club and being permitted to participate in gaming (previously addressed by the Deregulation (Casinos) Order 1997 (SI no. 1997/950)).

46.The Deregulation (Millennium Licensing) Order 1999 (SI No. 1999/2137) relaxed the restrictions on opening hours of licensed premises over Millennium Eve.

47.The Deregulation (Sunday Dancing) Order 2000 (SI No. 2000/3372) allows public dances held on Sundays to charge an admission fee.

48.The Deregulation (Sunday Licensing) Order 2001 (SI No. 2001/920) allows licensed premises to apply on Sundays for an extension to the time they can sell or serve alcohol beyond the permitted hour of 10.30pm on Sundays.

Proposals for deregulation orders laid before Parliament for scrutiny before the passing of the Regulatory Reform Act:

49.Proposal for the Draft Deregulation (Disposals of Dwelling-Houses by Local Authorities) Order 2001

50.Proposal for the Draft Deregulation (Correction of Birth and Death Entries in Registers or other Records) Order 2001

51.Proposal for the Draft Deregulation (Bingo and Other Gaming) Order 2001

52.Proposal for the Deregulation (Restaurant Licensing Hours) Order 2001

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