The Government will today publish Simplification Plans for 18 Departments and Government agencies. The Health and Safety Executive published its plan in October, taking the total number of plans published this autumn to 19.

The plans set out more than 500 initiatives which, when delivered, will result in a reduction in administrative burdens and policy costs for the UK economy as a whole. The plans commit departments to cutting administrative burdens for business, voluntary and charitable organisations by at least 25 per cent. by 2010, with estimated savings of £2 billion already identified in the plans.

This ground-breaking initiative marks the start of a rolling programme of simplification. These plans will make individual departments accountable for the burdens they impose. Departments will update plans annually in order to ensure on-going year-on-year reductions in the burdens they impose.

Alongside the package of simplification plans, the Government will also commit to several important supporting measures. These include an upgrading of the web portal through which simplification ideas can be submitted, a campaign to identify regulations which conflict or overlap, and benefits of the flow of regulation, and annual updates on progress against the simplification agenda.

Copies of all 19 Simplification Plans, and relevant supporting documents, have been placed in the Library for the reference of Members and are available in the Vote Office.