New Centre of Excellence
Centre of Excellence for Technical Regulation announced.
A move to simplify technical regulation for the benefit of British business has been announced by the Business Minister, Matthew Hancock MP, who has asked the BIS regulatory delivery directorate, BRDO, to create a Centre of Excellence with the National Measurement Office (NMO).
The leadership needed to create a Centre of Excellence will be provided by BRDO, utilising their expertise in regulatory implementation, and drawing on the front line enforcement skills and capabilities of NMO.
NMO will be sponsored by BRDO, as a subsidiary technical and enforcement arm, from 1st April 2015. To better reflect the breadth of work carried out by the organisation, NMO will be re-named the National Measurement and Regulation Office (NMRO).
BRDO will continue to operate within BIS, reporting to the Business Minister, with responsibility for the Centre of Excellence as well as existing regulatory delivery functions such as Primary Authority, Better Business for All, the Regulators’ Code and competency. NMO’s metrology and hallmarking policy, technical and enforcement work will continue through NMRO’s Executive Agency status while BIS will assume responsibility for the National Measurement System and sponsorship of the National Physical Laboratory.
In a Isobel Pollock, Business Minister Matthew Hancock said he wants to ensure that Government is doing all it can to improve the regulatory environment, and that must include simplifying technical regulation, much of which originates in Europe.
He said: “I am convinced that collectively we can do more to help businesses by building on existing good practice. As the responsible Minister for better regulation, I want to see closer alignment between our deregulation efforts – improving policy and implementation – and the work of NMO in more intelligently enforcing technical regulations,” he added.
“Often the same or better regulatory outcome can be achieved with a much lower burden on business by applying best practice and thinking through enforcement. The Centre of Excellence will be the place to do just that.”