Primary Authority to be simplified and extended through Enterprise Bill

The Primary Authority scheme is to be simplified and extended as part of a wider Enterprise Bill, the Business Secretary has said.

Under the scheme businesses can form a statutory partnership with one local authority or fire and rescue authority. The latter’s advice must then be respected by other authorities.

Agreements can cover broad or specific areas of environmental health, fire safety, licensing and trading standards legislation.

The intention is to ensure local regulation is consistent at national level and flexible enough to address local circumstances.

On 1 January 2015 nearly 2,150 businesses were in partnership with 146 local authorities and fire and rescue authorities.

The scheme is administered by the Better Regulation Delivery Office.

In a speech in Bristol Sajid Javid said: “Primary Authority allows a business to get advice on regulation from a single local council. This advice must then be respected by all other local councils…reducing the time and cost to businesses of having to obey multiple masters.

“When Primary Authority came in, the purpose was to help larger firms trading nationwide. But it was so successful that we opened it to small business in 2013.”

The Business Secretary said that more than two-thirds of the businesses taking advantage of Primary Authority were small businesses.

“It frees them from inconsistent and confusing red tape,” he argued. “It reduces their operational costs, and allows them to focus on expansion. Butchers’ shops, convenience stores, restaurants, manufacturers.

“Thanks to Primary Authority, cheese makers don’t have to display their cheddar on wooden boards in one place and on steel platters in another.”

However, he added that “only a tiny fraction” of small businesses who could benefit were actually doing so.

“So we’re going to simplify Primary Authority itself…making it far easier for small businesses to access the scheme. And we’re going to extend its reach,” he said.

The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills said the proposed changes were in response to the work that BRDO has been doing to review the scheme.

“We are keen to hear more from businesses and regulatory stakeholders in the coming weeks and months to help us identify and remove burdens,” it added.