Businesses and community groups have been urged by the government to "rip up" some of the UK's 21,000 rules and regulations in a fresh bid to combat red tape and remove "ridiculous" burdens.
A "red tape website challenge" has been launched by Prime Minister David Cameron and Business Secretary Vince Cable, giving organisations as well as members of the public a chance to have their say on regulations affecting their business or lives.
The government said the aim is to get rid of ones seen as an "unnecessary burden", and keep those offering protection.
The move was welcomed by business groups after spending months pressing for action, but stressed that the move should lead to "significant" changes which ease burdens on companies.
The prime minister said: "All those unnecessary rules that place ridiculous burdens on our businesses and on society must go, once and for all."
Ministers said they wanted to tackle the stock of more than 21,000 statutory instruments they believed were putting barriers in the way of businesses, volunteers and the public.
The first area covered by the announcement will be retail, followed in the coming months by other parts of industry.
Once comments have been made, ministers will have three months to explain why a regulation is still required, or it will be scrapped.
Copyright © Press Association 2011
