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Finance (No. 2) Bill

The document is about 80 cm long and 20 cm wide, and printed with a list of 69 so-called burdens. I shall go through them, so that the Official Reporter has a chance to understand my point about the desire for simplification and reduction of the regulatory burden, which has been expressed forcefully, especially by the Conservative party. From the titles of the regulations, hon. Members will get some idea of whether they are what many of us would see as a good thing or are a burden on business. The first is the"““Data Protection Bill (Implementing the Data Protection Directive)””." Could be good, or could be bad. Second are the Groundwater Regulations 1998. They are probably a good thing, because they are about the purity of water—farmers would probably like them, although they were the polluters in some cases. Next is the Employment Relations Bill. Well, that will get a thumbs up on this side of the House, but it probably gets a thumbs down from the Conservatives. The Liberal Democrats are probably still deciding, even though it was introduced six years ago. Next come the Working Time Regulations. Again, they probably get a thumbs down from the Conservatives, who do not like people having paid time off for their holidays. Fortunately the Government will, I hope, extend that right for a further eight days in the course of this Parliament, pursuant to our manifesto, so those regulations would probably get a thumbs up on this side of the House. Next we have the Fire Precautions (Workplace) (Amendment) Regulations. They sound good to me and not like too much of a burden. Next on the list is"““National Insurance: Service Provision through Intermediaries””." I am not sure about that, but if anyone can tell me what it is about, I will gladly take an intervention. Next on the list is the Tax Credits Act 1999 and ““accompanying regulations (working families tax credit)””. That would get the thumbs up from Labour Members. I am not sure about either of the main Opposition parties, or indeed the nationalist parties although the hon. Member for Dundee, East (Stewart Hosie) will no doubt intervene if appropriate.