EU Council Debate

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Department: Cabinet Office
Monday 12th December 2011

(12 years, 5 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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David Rutley Portrait David Rutley (Macclesfield) (Con)
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I should like to pass on the hugs, best wishes and kisses from people in Macclesfield, who are very grateful for the stance that the Prime Minister took last week. Under the previous Government, from 2005 the burden of EU regulation cost British businesses billions of pounds each year. What steps is my right hon. Friend taking to reduce, rather than increase, the burden of EU regulation?

Lord Cameron of Chipping Norton Portrait The Prime Minister
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I am grateful for that question. We are working extremely hard, particularly in the area of the single market, to encourage the Commission, which is now looking at reducing the burden of the regulation that it passes and, specifically, the burden of regulation on businesses that employ fewer than 10 people. We have for the first time secured the idea of a moratorium: there will not be more regulations on them in the coming years.